After destroying thousands of acres of standing crops, affecting lakh of people, and killing around 150 people in Bihar and Assam, the flood fury is now looming over Kerala.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall in six districts of Kerala in the coming days. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has issued a “Red Alert” for Kasargod, Idukki, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram.
A “Red Alert” denotes likelihood of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. Orange Alert means a warning to “be prepared to face any situation arising out of severe weather condition”. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea due to the rough weather.
As many as 38.66 lakh animals including 21.47 lakh poultry, 1.79 lakh hectare of crops, 48 lakh population and 3,705 villages are affected in 27 districts in Assam flood. In Bihar, 69.76 lakh people in 12 of the 30 districts, 25 lakh animals have been hit by the calamity.
As per data provided by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 42,864 animals including poultry in Dhemaji district; 20,600 in Lakhimpur; 19,800 in Biswanath; 34,500 in Sonitpur; 3.87 lakh in Darrang, 1.13 lakh in Nalbari, 1.51 lakh in Majuli, 11.7 lakh in Barpeta, 3.97 lakh in Kamrup, 4.16 in Moarigaon, 2.75 lakh in Goalpara, 6.10 lakh in Dhubri and 3.69 lakh in South Salmara district are affected due to flood. Over 100 big animals washed away in the flood since July 13.
Around 90 per cent of rhino habitats -- the Kaziranga National Park and the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary -- are under water and 129 animals have been reported to die so far. At least 68 camps in Kaziranga National Park are inundated. The water has started receding from the Kaziranga Park. The 430-square kilometre Park is a World Heritage site spread across two districts, Golaghat and Nagaon. It is primarily known for being home to a majority of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses, but it is also a tiger reserve, and has large populations of elephants, buffalo and deer.
The flood report of the Assam government further say that as per report, 1113 hectare crops in Lakhimpur, 1293 hectare in Biswanath, 4166 hectare in Sonitpur, 13711 hectare in Darrang, 9602 hectare in Baksa, 16377 hectare in Barpeta, 2537 hectare in Bongaigaon, 20269 hectare in Dhubri, 10089 hectare in Kamrup and 100849 hectare in morigaon have been damaged so far.
“As many as 3024 villages including 197 villages in Dimaji, 695 in Dhubri, 55 in Lakhimpur, 52 in Biswanath, 44 in Sonitpur, 201 in Darrang, 674 in Barpeta, 133 in Bongaigaon, 151 in Nagaon, 260 in Golaghat, and and 143 in South Salmara has been inundated,” said the flood report.
In Bihar, significant number of casualties have also been reported from Araria, Madhubani, Purnea, Sheohar and Darbhanga districts. However, the situation remained grim as the Bagmati river in Bihar continued to flow above the danger mark at various places at Sitamarhi and Muzaffapur, and though the Kamala Balam river levels showed a falling trend, it was still above the danger mark in Madhubani.
In Punjab, flood-like situation prevailed in at least 12 villages in Sangrur district, after an embankment of the swollen Ghaggar river collapsed, damaging the newly planted paddy crop in over 4,000 acres of land. In Kerala, the India Meteorological Department has sounded a red alert.
