Assam floods: 8 dead, over 78,000 affected in 17 districts due to heavy rain

Eight persons have been killed in floods and landslides in Assam as incessant rainfall caused massive inundation in 17 districts, affecting over 78,000 people, officials said on Saturday.

Three districts in the western part of the state remained on 'red alert' and eight more were on 'orange alert', as per Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) data, while rainwaters from upstream areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya aggravated the flood situation in the state.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said landslides claimed five lives, all in Kamrup Metropolitan district.

Massive waterlogging was reported in Guwahati with many localities remaining submerged for the second day with rescue personnel shifting stranded people to safer places as residents abandoned their waterlogged houses with no water or power supply.

Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah and top officials inspected the situation in different parts of the city to assess the prevailing situation and review the government's emergency response measures.

Video of a person being taken for the last rites on a banana stem shaft from his residence amidst knee-deep waters from Rukminigaon area of the city led to sharp criticism among the citizens of the government's flood control measures.

The local resident had reportedly died in his house and the family had to arrange for a shaft to take the body out to a dry place for it to be taken to the cremation ground.

Floods claimed three lives, including two in Golaghat and one in Lakhimpur.

A total of 17 districts were affected by the floods, including five by 'urban floods'.

The flood-hit districts were Dhemaji, South Salmara, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Darrang, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Kamrup, Biswanath, Tinsukia and Karbi Anglong West.

More than 58,000 people have been affected, while 1,224 flood-hit people have taken shelter in five relief camps. Another 11 relief distribution centres are also functional.

Lakhimpur is the worst-hit district with more than 41,600 people affected.

Multiple agencies, including NDRF, SDRF, police and fire and emergency services personnel, were pressed into relief and rescue operations with people evacuated to safety from flood-affected areas.

Embankments were breached or affected in seven places, besides damage caused to infrastructure, including houses, roads and bridges in different parts, the ASDMA bulletin said.

The 'urban flood' affected districts are Kamrup, Dibrugarh, Darrang, Cachar and Kamrup Metropolitan, the bulletin said.

Nearly 21,000 people have been hit by urban floods, with the highest number of affected people in Cachar district at 12,300.

Almost all the major rivers across the state were on a 'rising' water level trend, as per ASDMA information.

The Brahmaputra was flowing near the danger level in Dibrugarh, Ranganadi in Lakhimpur, Dhansiri in Numaligarh, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur, Kopili in Kampur and Beki in Barpeta.

As per the latest RMC data, Dhubri, Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon have 'red alert' issued, while the districts of South Salmara Mankachar, Goalpara, Chirang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bajali, Dima Hasao and Cachar are on 'orange alert'.

'Red alert' implies 'warning/take action', and the districts with such a warning may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places, and squally winds with speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph.

An 'orange alert' asks people to be 'alert/be prepared to take action' for thunderstorm and lightning accompanied with gusty wind reaching wind speed 30 to 40 kmph with heavy to very heavy rain very likely at isolated places.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on Friday that the state was facing an 'abnormal situation' due to incessant downpours caused by massive cloud cover over several parts of the Northeast.

Heavy rainfall has also been recorded in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, aggravating the situation in Assam, especially in Guwahati, which has been hit by massive waterlogging, he said.

Special casual leave was announced for government employees of Kamrup and Kamrup Metropolitan districts on Saturday, who have to commute some distance to reach their offices.

Educational institutions have also been closed in the two districts on Saturday.

Flight services at Guwahati airport were affected on Friday due to heavy rain and gusty winds, the officials said.