With no rainfall in the past 24 hours, the flood situation has improved slightly in Assam but the death toll of the flash floods has reached 31 with recovery of more bodies from the flood-hit districts, particularly from Goalpara and Kamrup (Rural) districts of the State.
A total of six bodies have been recovered from flood-affected Krishnai, Bolbola and other areas of Goalpara district on Wednesday leading the death toll to 14. Another 12 bodies have been recovered from Kamrup (Rural) district on Wednesday, the officials said while adding that besides, four persons have died due to flood and landslides in Kamrup (Metro) districts and another one person died in Dhubri district during the floods since last week-taking the final death toll to 31 so far.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to take stock of the flood situation in the State. A statement issued from the Chief Minister’s office here informed that the Chief Minister apprised the Home Minister about the slew of steps initiated by the State Government to rescue the marooned people in the flood-hit areas of Goalpara, Dhubri, Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup and other districts with the assistance of NDRF, SDRF, Army and paramilitary forces.
“The Chief Minister told the Home Minister about a slight improvement in the flood situation following a let-up in rainfall in the past 24 hours. However, Gogoi described the situation as ‘grim and critical’,” said the statement.
The Chief Minister requested the Home Minister to raise the ex-gratia to the next of kin of those who died and sustained injuries, enhanced Central assistance for damaged houses and cropped land. The Union Home Minister while assuring the Chief Minister of all possible Central help and assistance, asked him to submit a proposal in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Assam Government had already announced an ex gratia of `3.5 lakh each to the next keen of the deceased. Assam State Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka and Forest Minister Rakibul Hussain visited the flood affected Goalpara district and reviewed the situation. The Ministers have asked the district administration to tackle to situation in war footing and instructed to expedite the distribution of relief materials among the needy.
It may be mentioned here that Army, NDRF and SDRF personnel have been engaged in relief and rescue operations of marooned people in different locations. While there have been some companies of the NDRF in the State, four more companies have also been called in from Bihar and Odisha.