Fresh flood has turned the situation grimmer in Assam even as the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Sunday said that over 11 lakh lakh people have been affected in 19 districts of the State due to the floods and 10 civilians have died due to floods in different parts of the State in last 24 hours.
While ten people have died due to floods in last 24 hours, floods have affected over 11 lakh people in the districts and rendered several thousands homeless. Over one lakh hectares of agricultural lands have also been affected due to the current wave of floods.
Heavy rainfall in the last 48 hours in West Bengal, Bihar, Assam and other NE states has severely affected the railway operations in the northeast region as rain water has affected railway tracks at several places in Katihar and Alipurduar Division of Northeast Frontier Railway.
NFR officials said that railway lines were affected at as many as 12 locations initially, of which seven were already repaired and restored. “However, the situation aggravated last night when rain water submerged tracks near Dalkhola, Barsoi, Sudhani stations and the main line connecting NE india with rest of the country being blocked with water under a bridge near Kishanganj station flowing over danger level,” said NFR Chief Public Relation Officer PJ Sharma.
“As a result, a number of trains had to be stopped at various stations and a number of other trains had to be cancelled or rescheduled and short-terminated. Some of the trains had to be brought back to originating stations or other convenient stations after attending to watering and taking other measures,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today and enquired about the scale of devastation caused by the current wave of flood in the state.
Sonowal apprised the Prime Minister about the various measures taken by the government for providing relief to the flood affected people and also informed that the administrations of all 19 flood hit districts have been directed to ensure speedy relief distribution to the victims.
The Chief Minister also visited flood relief camp at Bhismak lP School at Panchmile in Sadiya today and took stock of the arrangements for the inmates at the camp. He also visited Kundil riverside over Kundil Bridge and directed Water Resource Department to take immediate measures to stop erosion.
It may be mentioned that continuous erosion by Kundil river has been causing serious threat to Panchmile, lakhimi Gaon, Bogoribari apart from threatening Kundil Bridge. The Chief Minister also talked to the media persons and informed that dredging of the river Kundil during winter season will be taken up so that the change of river course which has taken place due to persistent erosion can be tackled.
Sonowal further informed that that state government is taking serious steps for solving the problems of Amarpur area including improvement of surface communication. In this regard he informed that a proposal for constructions of two bridges connecting Amarpur has been submitted to central government and the Ministry of Roads and Highways will conduct a survey for further necessary action.
The Chief Minister also visited Aithan Ring Bund at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh and took stock of the condition of the flood affected people there. He assured the flood affected people of adequate relief measures and said that district administration has already been pressed into the service to meet the requirement of flood victims.
Saying that once flood is over the government would take up rehabilitation measures and strengthening of the embankments would be done on war footing, Sonowal stated the government is serious in its pursuit of a permanent solution to the recurring floods. He also sat for a discussion with the Indian Railway authorities and discussed with them the expeditious construction of road cum rail bridge at Bogibeel.