Assam Faces Major Flood Risk as Rounds of Severe Weather Continue

Prasenjit Deb

Heavy downpour for the last few days in the state has led to a flash flood like situation in three districts of Assam.

Over 500 people have been hit by the flood wave in the last 24 hours, said state disaster management authority on Monday.

As per the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), around 10 villages from two districts namely Biswanath and Udalguri were affected due to the flash floods with crop area of 150.00 (in Hectares) damaged.

Similarly, urban flooding was witnessed in Assam’s Silchar at various localities including the National Highway due to heavy rainfall.

ASDMA said that flash flooding event in Silchar was at reported from Link Road, Ambicapatty, N.S. AVENUE, Sonai Road localities etc.

It said that with some 97 children, at least 575 people remain flood affected till Monday evening.

While, seven infrastructure damage incidents were reported from Biswanath and Darrang districts, while five breaching of embankments were reported from the same above mentioned districts in addition to one from Lakhimpur in last 24 hours.

Other damages due to flash floods were reported from Elementary Schools, Secondary Schools, and Anganwadi Centres in Biswanath, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur districts.

Though, no landslide event was witnessed in last 24 hours, there were reports of erosions from several localities in districts of Barpeta, Biswanath, Darrang and Dhubri, stated the ASDMA in the report.

Earlier, with the onset of monsoon and the possibility of floods across the state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday directed the government machinery to be ready to meet any flood-related eventuality.

Monsoon arrived in the northeast, including Assam, on Saturday and the state has been experiencing rainfall over the past couple of days.

In a video conference with deputy commissioners (DCs) and other senior officials, CM Sarma directed all government departments, including NHAI, NHIDC, NDRF and SDRF, to remain alert and reach out to the affected people during the natural calamity.

The chief minister also asked the Principal Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, to take steps for the pre-positioning of NDRF and SDRF personnel in vulnerable districts, especially in Dima Hasao.

He also asked the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) to activate an early warning system to warn people about potential threats of flood.

Further, in the event of flood water submerging low-lying areas, Sarma asked the DCs to set up relief camps and streamline relief distribution in these centres.

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