Guwahati: The flood situation in Assam continued to be grave on Friday with more than half of the districts submerged by waters of the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries. At least six persons have been killed in the floods and landslides and more than 8.5 lakh people affected so far.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said three persons died in rain and flood-related incidents in Golaghat and Dima Hasao districts on Friday. While two persons died in the flood at Bokakhat revenue circle in Golaghat, one died in landslide in Haflong in Dima Hasao district.
In rain-related incidents in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, two each also lost their lives. The total death toll so far in the region has climbed to 10.
The flood situation in Assam remained grim with 21 of the state's 33 districts battling the raging waters of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The floods have led to death of six persons and affected 8.7 lakh people. The swirling waters have forced the railway authority to control train services due to "settlement of tracks" in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section.
Officials said the Army was called in in Baksa district to assist the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force for rescuing people.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said nearly 800 villages in 41 revenue circles are under water and about 2,000 marooned people have been put up in 53 relief camps and relief distribution centres. The Kaziranga National Park, the famed habitat of the Great Indian Rhino and a World Heritage site, has been affected too.
Massive erosion has taken place at Chirang, Barpeta and Baksa due to the floods, which has submerged a total 1,556 villages and damaged 27,864.16 hectares of crop area, embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructure in the affected districts. The authorities are running 68 relief camps and distribution centres in 11 districts, where 7,643 people are taking shelter currently.
The Army, NDRF and SDRF have rescued 1,160 persons in the state since Thursday and have distributed 1,281.35 quintals of rice, dal, salt and 1,493.46 litres of mustard oil, besides tarpaulin, water pouch, sanitary napkins, baby food and other essential items.
The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Nimatighat in Jorhat and Tezpur in Sonitpur, while Dikhow river has breached the danger mark at Sivsagar town, Dhansiri river at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup and Beki river at Road Bridge in Barpeta.
In Mizoram, two men drowned and 390 houses submerged in floods triggered by incessant rain across Mizoram. Disaster management and rehabilitation officials said landslides made many places inaccessible.
The swelling water of Khawthlangtuipui river, also known as the Karnaphuli, has submerged at least 390 houses in six villages of Lunglei district. A total of 119 families have been rescued from one of the affected villages.
Several areas of the district have been cutoff from the rest of the state due to road blocks caused by landslides. Power supply was also disrupted in many areas across the state.
In Arunachal Pradesh, two students got buried alive and two others injured after a boundary wall of a government school hostel collapsed in Tawang district due to landslides triggered by incessant downpours. With the state capital witnessing landslides, mudslides and road blockades due to heavy rainfall for several days, the district administration has ordered closure of all schools in Itanagar till Sunday.
Sikkim was cut off from the rest of the country as multiple landslides triggered by heavy and continuous rainfall at several places blocked the arterial NH-31A, officials said. The state has been cut off from the rest of the country since Thursday noon, officials of General Reserve Engineering Force of the BSF said. They said a significant section of the hills have collapsed and blocked the highway at around five locations between Setijhora and Kalijhora in West Bengal.
In Sikkim, landslides have occurred near Rangpo and 32 Number on the highway. Repair and restoration work is underway on a war footing at the spots but is being hampered by heavy and continuous rains.
Incessant rains over the past three days have jeopardised normal life in north Bengal, creating a flood-like situation in the low-lying areas and triggering landslides in the hills.
The weather department has predicted downpour in north Bengal and parts of Sikkim till Monday morning.
Railways affected
A Northeast Frontier Railway release said passenger train services between New Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar through Dooars area have been suspended. Heavy rains have affected the train tracks between Jatinga Lumpur to New Harangajao station in Lumding Badarpur hill section as well, it added.
The Sealdah-Agartala Kanchanjungha Express has been terminated at Lumding and will remain cancelled between Lumding and Agartala, while the Silchar-Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express which was scheduled to leave Silchar Friday will remain cancelled, said NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma.
The Guwahati-Silchar passenger, which left Guwahati on July 11 and arrived at New Haflong station this morning has been short terminated and will remain cancelled between New Haflong and Silchar, while the Silchar-Guwahati passenger of Friday has been short terminated at Chandranathpur station and will return to Silchar, Sarma added.
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