Guwahati, June 21: According to an official bulletin from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the flood situation in Assam marginally deteriorated with nearly 34,000 people being impacted across nine districts.
The daily flood report provided by the ASDMA reveals that approximately 34,000 individuals have been affected in Baksa, Barpeta, Darrang, Dibrugarh, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, Sonitpur, and Udalguri districts.
Lakhimpur is the worst-hit district, with over 22,000 people affected, followed by Dibrugarh (3,900) and Kokrajhar (over 2,700). Prior to Tuesday, the deluge had already affected around 31,000 people across ten districts of Assam.
In a separate statement, the ASDMA informed that the Royal Government of Bhutan has issued a weather advisory warning of cloudy weather with light to moderate rainfall in isolated areas of the country over the next two to three days. This forecast raises concerns about rising water levels in the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries.
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In light of this weather advisory, the ASDMA advises all residents living in the riverine areas of Assam to be prepared with emergency kits and to avoid venturing into rising waters during this period. Furthermore, people are urged to refrain from engaging in activities such as fishing, collecting firewood, swimming, or unnecessarily crossing rivers during these days.
The administration has set up one relief camp in Kokrajhar, providing shelter to 56 individuals, and established 24 relief distribution centers in four districts.
Currently, 523 villages are submerged, and approximately 5,842.78 hectares of crop area have been damaged across Assam, as reported by the ASDMA. Massive erosion has been observed in several districts, including Barpeta, Sonitpur, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, and Udalguri.
Additionally, incidents of landslides due to heavy rainfall have been reported in places such as Cachar, Dima Hasao, and Karimganj. The floodwaters have also caused damage to embankments, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure in multiple districts. Urban areas in Darrang, Jorhat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Kokrajhar, and Nalbari have experienced inundation, as stated in the report.
Currently, no rivers are flowing above the danger mark. The India Meteorological Department had, however, previously forecasted “very heavy”, and “extremely heavy” rainfall in several districts of Assam over the next few days, indicating a potential worsening of the flood situation.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and provide relief efforts to alleviate the impact of the floods. It is vital for residents to adhere to safety guidelines and cooperate with the ASDMA to ensure their safety and well-being during this challenging period.