Assam floods death toll rises to 75, over 3.4 million still affected

At least six persons died in flood-related incidents in Assam in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 75 even as 34,82,170 people continued to be affected by the deluge in 20 districts of the state till Wednesday evening.

Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that 2,933 villages in 20 districts remained inundated by the floods.

Officials said that although there was a slight improvement in the flood situation in the last two days, incessant rainfall has led to swelling of the rivers particularly in the western Assam districts inundating more villages.

A total of 2,933 villages in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat and Cachar are still under water, the ASDMA officials said.

"There are a total of 826 relief camps operational in the districts of Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat and Jorhat districts with 2,00,525 inmates and 107 Relief Distribution Centres," they said.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) said that the Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger level at Neamatighat (Jorhat) and Dhubri while the Jia Bharali river is flowing above the danger mark at Sonitpur. Similarly the Puthimari river is flowing above the danger level in Kamrup while the Manas and Beki rivers are also flowing above the danger level followed by the Gaurang at Kokrajhar and Sonkosh river flowing above the danger mark at Golakganj.

Meanwhile, panic has gripped western Assam districts following reports that a power company in Bhutan has decided to release excess water from a hydro power dam located in the neighbouring country on Thursday.

The development took place after the Druk Green Power Corporation Limited of Bhutan issued a notice that it would open the gates of the dam to release over 1,200 cubic meter per second of excess water.

The release of this water is likely to affect Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Baksa and parts of Kamrup district in Assam.

The release of excess water from hydro power dams in Bhutan had wreaked havoc in Assam in the past, inundating hundreds of villages and killing many people.

( With inputs from IANS )