Guwahati, July 25 (PTI): Flood situation in Assam remains critical with the Brahmaputra river overflowing in several districts, submerging houses and agricultural fields of around 12.5 lakh people and inundating Kaziranga National Park, authorities said today.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) today said the deluge has taken away chunks of main roads in Morigaon, Jorhat and Dibrugarh districts, snapping road communications and breached river embankments in Kokrajhar, Jorhat, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh and Golaghat districts causing water to rush into vast tracks of human habitation.
The Brahmaputra and its tributaries are overflowing in 18 districts of the state, flooding Rhino homelands in Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wild Life Sanctuary.
The flood-hit districts, where the swollen Brahmaputra and its tributaries are flowing above the danger level, are Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Bongaigaon, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Nagaon, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Goalpara, Tinsukia, Dhubri, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Biswanath and Darrang districts, the ASDMA said.
The army, SDRF and NDRF are assisting the district administrations in evacuating the affected population to safer places, the authority said.
An adult male rhino was drowned in a river in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) due to the floods and its carcass with its horn intact was recovered today near Siga camp under Agoratoli camp, close on the heels of another such dead rhino which was found there two days ago, Forest Department officials said.
Five hog deer were killed by speeding vehicles at Panbari in KNP area when they were crossing NH-37 from the Park towards highlands of Karbi Anglong district this afternoon, the officials said.
There are 16 animal corridors on the NH-37 through which various types of animals from the Park side cross over to Karbi Anglong hills during floods, they said.
Special assistance needed for flood and erosion
Assam requires special assistance to tackle the twin problems of flood and erosion instead of routine funds, the state government said today. "We have to bring it in priority list. We need special treatment and funds for handling flood and erosion problems. So far we are getting normal fund under the SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) category," Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta told the state Assembly.
He said the funds received through SDRF could not be utilised for erosion caused by rivers, but it can be used for the same if caused by the sea as per the guidelines.
In 81 relief camps, 21,931 people have taken shelter. Besides, the flood has caused massive erosion in many parts of the state, Mahanta said, adding the government has ordered all departments concerned to take steps to handle the situation.
Flood situation critical in Arunachal
Itanagar, July 25 (PTI): The flood situation continued to be critical in Arunachal Pradesh as the overflowing Noa Dehing river today submerged the National Highway-52 at Namsai district. More than 100 families at Lekang village in the district and Jairampur sub-division in Changlang district were rendered homeless in the fresh wave of flood, an official report said. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, along with Namsai MLA Chow Zingnu Namchoom and officials, visited the flood affected villages of Dirak Miri, Rajabeel, Silatoo, Eraloni and Mahadevpur IV to take stock of the situation. The flood situation under Chongkham circle also remained grim as the water levels of the Lohit, Kamlang, Berreng, Tengapani rivers and its tributaries are rapidly increasing. The submergence of the NH-52 at Namsai district worsened the situation.
According to a report from East Siang district, rain water wreaked havoc in residential areas in Pasighat town flooding low-lying areas including Lower Banskata, Muriline, Electric colony, Police line and Gumin Nagar. Ruksin town and rural roads in the area were also inundated by rain water. At Jairampur in Changlang district, the Namchick river is still flowing above the danger level posing threat to many areas. The situation in Lohit district also remained grim in many places due to heavy rains. Deputy Commissioner Danish Ashraf took stock of the food stock, water supply and machinery, like earth movers and dumpers, available with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Border Road Task Force so that the civil administration could take help from them as and when required.
