As death toll due in flood-related cases in Assam rose to 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and took stock of the prevailing situation in the state besides assuring him of all central help. The flood situation in Assam deteriorated today with one person losing his life, while nearly five lakh people are hit across 15 districts. According to a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one person died in the swirling flood waters in Karimganj district.
The ASDMA said more than 4.87 lakh people are currently suffering in Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Golaghat, Cachar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Morigaon and Chirang districts.
Around 1,096 villages are under water and nearly 41,200 hectares of crop area have been damaged, ASDMA said, adding, the worst affected is Lakhimpur, where over 1.21 lakh people have been affected by the deluge, followed by Karimganj with more than 1.19 lakh sufferers.
Authorities are running 181 relief camps and distribution centres in 10 districts, where 17,744 persons are currently taking shelter.
Across the state, 1,88,148 animals and poultry have been affected by the flood waters.
Due to the impact of flood waters, many roads, embankments and bridges have been damaged in several districts, including Majuli, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Biswanath, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Karimganj, Sonitpur and Nagaon.
Currently, the Brahmaputra is flowing above danger mark at Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, along with Dibrugarh, Goalpara and Dhubri towns.
Other rivers like Dikhow at Sivasagar town, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur and Kushiyara at Karimganj town in Karimganj are also flowing above danger mark.
PM Modi takes stock of situation, assures all help to CM
During the telephonic conversation with Sonowal, Modi enquired about measures taken by the Assam government to provide succour to the marooned people, damage caused by flood waters and status of relief and rescue operations.
The chief minister informed the prime minister of the state government's effective and expeditious measures to reach out to the affected people.
"The prime minister is very concerned about the flood situation in Assam. He said the central government is taking the flood situation in the state very seriously and assured all support for mitigating the problem," Sonowal was quoted as saying by PTI.
The chief minister said he has informed the prime minister that ministers and MLAs were directed to rush to the affected areas to take stock of the flood situation and step up relief and rescue operations ensuring proper arrangement for flood-affected people.
Sonowal said relief camps have been opened for marooned people and relief materials have been distributed.
The chief minister informed the prime minister that ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the current spate of floods have been disbursed within 48 hours.
Sonowal also conveyed to the prime minister about the state government's decision to procure dredger for excavation of Brahmaputra riverbed apart from preparing plan for anti-erosion measures adopting latest technology.
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