8 more die as number of areas inundated in Guwahati increases
The flood situation in the Northeast looks grim with Assam and Meghalaya emerging as the worst-hit. At least 42 people have died and nearly 40 lakh have been affected in both the States so far. The flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Sunday with eight more people losing their lives and over 37 lakh people suffering across 30 districts, an official said.
Many new localities have come under the impact of the deluge in several districts of the State and overnight incessant rain inundated more areas in Guwahati, officials said.
Given the grim situation, the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati will help the Assam Government in surveying the flood affected areas by using drones developed by its startup to aid the relief and rescue work. According to IIT officials, the State Government has reached out to the institute to seek its expertise in surveying the flood affected areas using drones to assess the condition in the villages where road connectivity has been disrupted due to heavy flow of water.
According to the latest updates by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the State was witnessing floods and landslides for the last six days, leaving behind a huge trail of destruction everywhere.
In the last 24 hours, 32 districts, comprising 118 revenue circles and 4,291 villages, have reported flooding, it said. Around 37 lakh people have been impacted, and 1.56 lakh of them have taken shelter in 514 relief camps across the State. Relief materials were also distributed among people who are affected by the floods and have not taken shelter in relief camps, the ASDMA said.
According to the daily flood report of the ASDMA, eight people lost their lives in various places due to the floodwaters. The death toll in this year’s flood and landslides across the State has gone up to 62, it said. At least 302 relief distribution centres or points opened temporarily, it said.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been helping the district administrations evacuate people from the flood-hit areas.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire and emergency services personnel, policemen and ASDMA volunteers have also been deployed for rescue operations. “So far, 20,983 people have been evacuated by the various agencies,” the bulletin said. Incessant rain since Saturday night wreaked havoc in Guwahati, leading to knee-deep water logging in many areas across the city, while water has touched the chest level at some places.
Guwahati Municipal Corporation Commissioner Devashish Sharma told reporters that sluice gates on the Bharalu river have been shut.