Bhupen Goswami
GUWAHATI : The flood situation in Assam and Meghalaya has become uncontrollable. So far, 29 people have died in both the states. At least 11 lakh people in 25 districts have been affected by the floods, with the newly formed Bajli district being the worst affected. Officials said, the water level of Brahmaputra and Gauranga rivers is hovering above the danger mark in several areas. Most parts of the capital Guwahati have come to a standstill for the third consecutive day due to waterlogging. There have also been several landslides in Guwahati city, in which three persons were injured at Ajantanagar in Nunmati area.
In Baksa district, a portion of the bridge in Subankhata area collapsed due to incessant rains and rising water level of the Dihing river. According to an official, at least six trains have been cancelled and four partially cancelled following waterlogging on tracks between Nalbari and Ghograpar in Rangia division in lower Assam. At the same time, Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor and director Rohit Shetty have contributed Rs 5 lakh to the CM Relief Fund for the flood affected people in the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, thanking him for his generous work. Floods have created panic in many states of the North East. The situation in Assam is serious. At the same time, the sudden floods in Meghalaya have also created a lot of panic.
There are heartbreaking reports of 3 deaths due to flash floods at Baghmara in South Garo Hills district and 1 in a landslide in Siju. On the death of 1 in a landslide in Siju, Chief Minister Conrad said, “I convey my deepest condolences to their loved ones. The government will release an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased. May his soul rest in peace. The flood situation remained grim on Friday due to incessant rains in various parts of northeast India for four consecutive days, due to which several major rivers are in spate.According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), over 20 lakh people have been affected in 25 districts of the state due to rain and floods. The situation is no different in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, where landslides have damaged roads and flooded villages. In Assam, a boat carrying four persons capsized in Jia Bhoroli river in Sonitpur district, in which one person went missing. A district official said that three people were rescued, but four persons could not be traced. Fresh landslides have been reported in several areas of Guwahati and parts of Dima-Hasao, Goalpara, Hojai, Kamrup and Kamrup (M). Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal spoke to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier in the day and discussed the flood and landslide situation in the state. An officer gave this information.He said the Chief Minister apprised the Union Minister of the current situation and how various departments are working round the clock to help people in the affected areas. In Assam, several rivers are flowing above the danger mark, including the Brahmaputra at Nimtighat and Dhubri, Kopili in Nagaon, Puthimari in Kamrup, Pagladia in Nalbari, Manas and Beki rivers in Barpeta. This information has been given in a bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC).
