Heavy rains triggering floods and landslides over the past few days have affected thousands of people in India’s northeastern state of Assam, officials said Tuesday.
According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the floods have hit 20 districts in the state and affected a population of nearly 200,000. The floods have hit 652 villages in more than a dozen districts, and have claimed five lives.
“Two flood-related deaths were reported in Cachar district, while three fatalities due to landslides were earlier recorded in Dima Hasao district,” an official of ASDMA said. Officials said flood water has badly affected road communication at many places besides damaging cropland and infrastructure.
As per ASDMA, embankments have been breached at 16 locations, while many roads, bridges and houses have been completely or partially damaged. Officials said over 16,645 hectares of cropland have been damaged due to inundation.
Railway officials are trying to restore the damaged line at the Lumding-Badarpur section in Dima Hasao and re-starting the train services to South Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram. “Nearly 33,000 people are now staying at 67 relief camps as district administrations are giving essential food items,” ASDMA said.
The local administration has ordered the suspension of ferry services between Jorhat and Majuli due to an increase in water level. Officials said National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel have been pressed into service to carry out rescue operations in the affected districts. Floods are an annual occurrence in Assam during the monsoon season.—AFP
