AS RAINS DESCENT, ASSAM FLOOD SITUATION IMPROVES

Face2News.Guwahati:

The intensity of rains in eastern Assam localities has decreased and bright sunshine covers the other parts in the last 24 hours, the flood situation in the State has subsequently improved. However, more than five lakh people remain affected in the districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat, Jorhat and Nagaon till Monday morning and the death toll rises to 68 with some still missing. Over 750 villages remain inundated, where more than 45,000 hectares of cropland damaged and the relief camps, run by the administrations, give shelter to over 37,500 displaced people.

The latest wave of flood also washed away hundreds of thousands of domestic animals and damaged over 140 roads and 10 embankments in various eastern Assam localities, said a report from Assam State Disaster Management Authority. The swollen Brahmaputra river has also inundated a large area of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, but the overall situation inside the world famous forest reserve remains under control.

Along with the government agencies, a significant number of social organizations have stepped into the ongoing rescue and relief operations. A large group of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteers and Sewa Bharati workers also joined the relief works in mostly affected localities. The Swayamsevaks distributed essential materials like tarpaulins, candles, mosquito repealing coils, dry food items and bottles of drinking water along with soaps and medicines directly to the families stranded in flood-affected locations.

Coordinating with the local administration, the volunteers rescued over 200 people in Betbaria area of Sivasagar district. Similarly, they reached the stranded villagers in Sundar Pukhuri, Bamun Pukhuri, Geleki and Rajabari areas to hand over relief materials. They also joined in the relief operations across Elengmora, Katiram Chuk, Kulai Chuk, Naalia Chuk, Senshowa and Charighoria Chuk areas of Jorhat district. Many ailing and elderly villagers including children were also taken out from their places to the administration-run relief camps.