Nearly 200k in Assam affected due to floods

With continued rainfall in northeastern parts of the country on account of Cyclon Amphan, the Central Water Commission has sounded a flood alert even as nearly 2 lakh people have been affected by flooding in 229 villages in seven districts of Assam.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that villages in 17 revenue circles of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Nalbari, Goalpara, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia have been affected by floods and nearly 9,000 villagers have been moved to 35 relief camps set up in some of these districts. Around 1007 hectares of fields have been submerged and 16,500 domestic animals and poultry have been already affected, the ASDMA report stated.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has issued a severe flood situation alert for the Brahmaputra in Assam’s Neamati Ghat and Jiabharali in Jorhat and Sonitpur districts, respectively. The highest flood level for the Brahmaputra in the Jorhat stretch is 87.37 metres and the current level is 85.78 metre according to the bulletin issued on Tuesday. In Jiabharali, the highest flood level is 78.5 metres and the current level is 77.36 metres.

Beki in Barpeta, Lohit in Tinsukia and the Dibrugarh stretch of the Brahmaputra and many of its tributaries have also recorded above-normal flood levels.

Incessant rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh led to a landslide at Arzoo village in Dibang Valley district, killing three members of a family. Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to next of kin of the deceased persons. District officials have also been asked to move people to safer areas.

IMD in its Tuesday bulletin said that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over parts of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura over the next five days.

“Cherrapunji has received 1,105 millimetres of rain in the last four days. We’re still compiling the data, which is a departure from normal. There’ll be more flooding in the region, as rains are not likely to stop for the next few days. But the intensity of rainfall may reduce after two-three days. Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura will experience rainfall soon,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, meteorology and climate, Skymet Weather.