There is no let-up in the flood situation in Assam as 24 districts of the State continued to be under flood waters till on Wednesday affecting over 33 lakh people even as there are reports that 11 people have died in last 24 hours, taking the flood related death toll to 123 this year.
While 39 people have died in the ongoing second wave of floods this year that have hit the State late July till today, 84 people have died during the first wave of floods that have hit the State between April to June this year.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that a total of 33,45,442 people in 24 districts are marooned by the floods and close to two lakh people have taken shelter in over 300 relief camps set up by the district administration.
The Government has forced the Army and Border Security Force (BSF) into service to assist the State forces to rescue the marooned people and expedite relief operation in different flood hit districts.
The State Disaster Rescue Force, National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF), army and the civil forces have rescued and evacuated to safety over 4000 people in last 24 hours. The rescue and relief operations have been under taken with the help of over 400 boats.
The connectivity has been badly hit as the region has remained cut off from the mainland through rail network. The Railway Board has directed all zonal railways to cancel trains travelling from various parts of the country beyond Malda town and Katihar till August 20.
NF Railway Chief Public Relation Officer PJ Sharma said that a total of 77 trains have been cancelled till August 20 due to the existing situation. There is virtually no accessibility to most of the damaged sites and it has affected restoration work. Telecommunication network in the entire section is badly affected adding to the problems,” he said adding that railway has, however, arranged for special trains between Guwahati to Dalkhola and back to help stranded passengers.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal left for New Delhi today to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprise him of preliminary damage of the current wave of flood that lashed the State affecting 24 districts.
Sonowal is also expected to discuss with the Prime Minister on the probable modus operandi for finding out a permanent solution to the flood and erosion problem in the State.
It may be mentioned here that the Prime Minister who had visited the State on August 1, announced Rs 100 for an in depth study of the river Brahmaputra and its tributaries to find out permanent solution to the perennial flood problem in the State. Chief Minister Sonowal would also request Narendra Modi to constitute an inter- ministerial team headed by a Cabinet Minister to visit the flood ravaged Assam and assess the post flood impact and loss in terms of lives and properties.