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June 27: There has been no let-up in Assam’s flood situation, with the death toll rising to 19 from 17 and six more embankment breaches reported since yesterday.
With chief minister Tarun Gogoi directing relief and rescue operations from United States, where he has gone on an official tour, chief secretary N.K. Das held a review meeting this afternoon with home, revenue and hill division officials. Official sources described the scenario as “pretty grim as of now”.
Personnel of NDRF were among those carrying out rescue operations in various parts of Assam.
Upper Assam commissioner S.I. Hussain said people of several villages in Amarpur area in Tinsukia district were still marooned, with authorities air dropping relief material, though the water level was receding in Upper Assam. The situation at Dikhowmukh in Sivasagar district has improved.
A speeding vehicle knocked down a deer on NH37 near Kaziranga National Park today though park authorities had imposed time cards on the Kaziranga stretch of the highway from today. A large number of animals are fleeing the park to the adjacent Karbi Anglong hills as 60 per cent of its area is under water.
While four more persons died in lower Assam since yesterday, 10 more embankments have been breached, taking the number of breaches to 28 in the state.
Dhubri district is reeling under darkness after electric poles and towers were damaged during last night’s rain and storm. A 100-year-old tree at the Raja Prabhat Chandra Barua Maidan was also uprooted during the storm.
Dhubri circle officer Mrigesh Narayan Baruah said 6,000 people had been shifted to safer places in Chalakura area. “Altogether 20 families were displaced because of erosion by Gangadhar river. Relief to affected people will start tomorrow,” he said.
Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts have found themselves in the grip of floods with the Barak and its tributaries crossing the danger level.
The district was last ravaged by floods in 2004.
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