Seven districts affected by floods in Assam
Seven districts affected by floods in Assam.

Assam: Over 2 lakh people of seven districts affected in the first spate of floods

Guwahati, May 27: Amid the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Assam is now facing another challenge as the first spate of floods hit the state and over 2 lakh people of seven districts have been affected in the floods.

The first wave of floods in the state has turned critical with many rivers including river Brahmaputra flowing above danger level marks and floodwaters submerged many places of the state.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), floods have affected over 2 lakh people in 229 villages of 17 Revenue Circles across the seven districts of Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Lakhimpur, Nalbari and Tinsukia in the state.

Over 1,000 hectares of crop area is now submerged underwater with even over 13,500 domestic animals and 3000 poultry also affected by the first wave of floods.

Around 1.68 lakh people have been affected alone in the Goalpara district, followed by 10,943 persons in the Nalbari district.

In the Goalpara district, around 140 villages of the Lakhipur and Balijana area have been affected in the floods and the affected people have taken shelter in the relief camps.

A local villager of Lakhipur area said that water levels of many rivers have increased following incessant rains in the region and also in Meghalaya.

“The flood-affected people have taken take shelter in roads, higher lands. The district administration and the local MLA are yet to come here to take stock the situation,” the flood-affected local villager said.

At the Borghuli area under the Kaliabar assembly constituency in Nagaon district, a building of a Mosque collapse into Brahmaputra river within seconds due to increased water levels in the area.

Following the torrential rains in Assam and neighboring states Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, the water levels of Brahmaputra river and its tributaries are flowing above danger level marks in many places.

In Guwahati, the water level of the Brahmaputra river has gradually increased and it rising by 1-2 cm every hour.

An employee of the Central Water Commission, Sarat Chandra Kalita said that the water level of the Brahmaputra river in Guwahati is rising since May 16.

“Water level is rising since May 16 last and since today morning, it is rising by 1-2 cm every hour. The danger level of the Brahmaputra river in Guwahati is 49.68 meters,” Sarat Chandra Kalita said.