Assam floods: Army called out to rescue, 3 lakh affected

Nine districts affected in the State; deluge has submerged over 25,000 hectares of agricultural land damaging standing paddy crops

GUWAHATI, JULY 23:  Floods on Friday engulfed more districts in Assam with pouring waters of overflowing rivers in the state affecting three lakh people even as the Army swung into action in Chirang district for rescue works.

The State continued to be under the grip of floods with the deluge on Friday spreading to nine districts from Thursday’s seven, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.

The affected districts are Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Morigaon, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Kokrajhar, Barpeta and Bongaigain where three lakh people in 464 villages are affected by the swirling flood waters, it said.

Overflowing water of the swollen Brahmaputra and its tributaries has overrun roads in many areas snapping surface communication, breached embankments and caused large scale erosion in many areas, ASDMA said, adding the deluge has also submerged over 25,000 hectares of agricultural land damaging standing paddy crops there.

Based on a call for help from the local people, the Army on Friday sent its four teams in the Khungring area of Chirang, rescuing 30 people who were trapped in their marooned village, a Defence spokesman said here.

The Army deployed its boats to reach the marooned people and rescued them making several trips against swift currents to save them and took them to relief camps, he said.

The spokesman said the Army is dedicated towards the safety of the people and despite all odds, is standing by to save people amid concerns of rising water levels in Assam.

The Army Flood Control Centre at Tezpur is also functioning round the clock to monitor the flood situation and coordinate relief and rescue efforts wherever required.

All units under the Area of Responsibility of the Gajraj Corps (4 Corps) are fully alert and geared up to react swiftly to any flood related contingency, he added.

The Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger mark at Nematighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur and Dhubri district, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat district, JiaBhorali at N T Road Crossing in Sonitpur district, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta district and Sangkosh in Golakganj district, ASDMA said.

The district administrations in Bongaigaon, Morigaon and Barpeta have pressed 20 boats into service to rescue and evacuate the marooned people.

Twenty-seven relief camps and seven relief distribution centres have been opened to provide shelter to 12,428 flood-hit people, ASDMA added.