Assam Floods: Death Toll Rises to 75

Guwahati, July 24, 2019:

As per the latest reports on Tuesday, the Assam floods have claimed the lives of 75 persons in the Northeast Indian state. As per the latest report released by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), six more persons have died in the last 24 hours in the State.

The ASDMA has stated that the flood water is again inundating areas of Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, Bongaigaon and Chirang districts. As of today, a total of 2,933 number of villages in 73 revenue circles of 20 districts, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat and Cachar, are having flood waters, affecting a population of 34.82 lakh people.

Presently, 826 numbers of Relief Camps are operational in the districts of Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat and Jorhat districts with 2,00,525 inmates and 107 Relief Distribution Centres in the districts of Lakhimpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar,  South Salmara, Kamrup, Morigaon and Golaghat.

Water level of Rivers at 'danger level' are as follows: Brahmaputra at Neamatighat (Jorhat) and Dhubri, Jia Bharali at N.T. Road Xing (Sonitpur), Puthimari at N.H. Rd. Xing (Kamrup); Manas at N.H.Rd. Xing (Barpeta), Beki at Rd. Bridge (Barpeta); Gaurang at Kokrajhar (Kokrajhar) and Sonkosh at Golakganj (Dhubri).

The current wave of floods have submerged almost 90 percent of the Kaziranga National Park, forcing the wild animals to stray out to take shelter on higher ground while flood waters have also submerged the anti-poaching camps over the last one week.

The park authorities have, however, said that the flood situation is improving gradually as the water level has been showing a receding trend.

“The flood water level is showing a falling trend and we have recorded that the water level had fallen by 162 cm till Monday morning,” an official said, adding that Forest Department staff have been working hard along with villagers to protect the distressed wild animals.

Inside Northeast’s Campaign #LetsSaveDeeporBeel is now supported by Oil India Limited (OIL). Join us as we continue the awareness campaign to preserve the only Ramsar site in Assam which is facing immense threats (A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention). We need your help to preserve this site of great ecological importance. Join the #LetsSaveDeeporBeel campaign and tweet about it, and do tag us on Twitter. Let’s make some noise!