GUWAHATI: Eight persons died in the floods in Assam on Sunday which took the death toll to 66.
The deaths occurred in Cachar (1), Dhubri (2), Goalpara (1), Nalbari (2), Dhemaji (1) and Sivasagar (1) districts.
According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 28 of the state’s 35 districts are still in the grip of the floods which affected 22,74,289 people in 3,446 villages.
Cropland was affected in areas of over 68,432.75 hectares. The floods damaged roads, bridges and river embankments in several districts.
The authorities has set up 269 relief camps where 53,689 of the affected people are taking shelter.
The ASDMA said 10 rivers – Brahmaputra, Burhidihing, Dikhou, Disang, Dhansiri, Kopili, Beki, Sankosh, Barak and Kushiyara – were in a spate, flowing above the danger level.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Cachar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts. Various other agencies, including the State Disaster Response Force and the police, are helping the NDRF.
The deluge inundated vast swathes of the Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve. Sixty-eight of the 233 camps inside the park are still inundated. Forest personnel are staying there for patrolling and other activities.
Till Sunday, 129 animals, including six rhinos and 98 hog deer, have died. The authorities managed to rescue 96 other animals.
“We are constantly monitoring the situation. There is a possibility of animals straying out at such time,” a senior park official said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Palashbari in Kamrup district on Sunday and took stock of the situation. He also visited some relief camps and interacted with the inmates.
Sarma told the inmates that the government would take steps to repair or rebuild their houses which were either damaged or washed away by floodwaters. He said the government was working in earnest to find a long-term solution to the perennial problem of flood in the state.