7 more dead in Assam floods; toll rises to 79, 17.17 lakh affected

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 9, 2024

The second wave of floods claimed the lives of seven persons in Assam in the last 24 hours taking the death toll to 79, according to an official bulletin of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) released on Tuesday evening.

The death occurred 2 in Cachar, 1 each in Dhubri, South Salmara, Nagaon and Sivasagar districts.

One person has been missing at Moran in Dibrugarh district.

17,17,599 people from 2,779 villages under 90 revenue circles of 26 districts have been affected by the deluge.

The affected districts are- Dhubri, Cachar, Kamrup, Goalpara, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, South Salmara, Nalbari, Karimganj, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Sonitpur, Hailakandi, Biswanath, Barpeta, Darrang, Kamrup (M), Majuli, Jorhat, Kokrajhar, Tinsukia and Chirang.

Dhubri is the worst affected district with 3,54,045 population followed by Cachar with 1,81,545 and Sivasagar with 1,36,547 population affected by the deluge.

The authorities are running 240 relief centres and 267 relief distribution centres for the affected people.

48,021 people are taking shelter in these relief camps while 1,04,665 non-camp inmates are receiving food and other relief materials from the relief distribution centres.

The Brahmaputra is flowing abiove the danger level at Neamatighat, Tezpur, Guwahati and Dhubri, Burhidihing at Chenimari (Khowang), Dikhou at Sivasagar, Disang at Nanglamuraghat, Kopili at Dharamtul and Kushiayara is flowing above the danger level at Karimganj.

The deluge inundated 50 per cent of areas of the Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve.

The devastating flood claimed the lives of 159 wild animals, including 9 endangered one-horned rhinos, while 95 others have been rescued till Tuesday, an official of the KNPTR said.

All the rhinos are calves, not adults, the officials said.

Apart from 9 rhinos, there are 128 hog deer, 2 swamp deer and 2 sambar, the official said.

Altogether 133 animals were rescued by forest personnel from flood water, 111 were released after treatment. Severn animals are still under treatment.

62 out of 233 forest camps are still under floodwater. 4 camps have been evacuated.

In central Assam’s Pobitoral Wildlife Sanctuary, the water level is rising leading to flooding in 90 per cent of the forest area.

“The water level was receding in the last week. But once again the water level is rising from last night and presently, 90 per cent of the area are under floodwater,” said a forest official of the Wildlife Sanctuary.

“All 28 forest camps, apart from the headquarter camp are under floodwater,” the official added.