Death toll reaches 11
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Saturday refused to take the blame for the recent flash floods and landslides that killed eight people here, saying his government has “taken it seriously” and implemented many steps to ease the situation.
Flash floods since Thursday night have led to the death of eight people, including two minor girls, in the main city Guwahati.
“I do not remember this kind of situation in Guwahati in the recent past. There could be several reasons for the same… high rainfall, destruction of hills around the city and blockage of the city’s drainage system,” Gogoi told media here.
The city recorded 85 mm rainfall since Thursday, he said.
“However, we have taken it seriously. We have taken all short-term measures to ease the situation, like cleaning of the drainage system. We are also going to take up some long-term measures to avert this kind of disaster in future,” he said.
“The long-term plan includes water management programmes, urban management programmes and traffic management,” he said.
The chief minister said the government has identified 376 locations in Guwahati as “most vulnerable” for landslides, and residents of these areas have been warned against landslides.
“We have warned them against landslides. However, they refuse to leave the places and continue to live there. We are going to rehabilitate them in other places so that they can live safely,” he said.
Gogoi said he may set up a force for protection of the hills and water bodies in the city.
Meanwhile, the toll due to floods in Assam’s state capital rose to 11 on Saturday when one person was electrocuted even as the torrential rains ceased. Mustak Khan, a resident of Bihar, was electrocuted in the Narengi Road area, police said.
The body of an unidentified young man was recovered from a drain in the Bhetapatra area, they said.
The body of 18-year-old Bibek who fell into the river Bharalu in Anil Nagar area and was swept away on Friday was also found, they said.
At least eight persons died from electrocution and in landslides.
Though there was no rain since Friday night, a landslide was took place at Kharghuli area with a portion of a road falling on a number of houses below, they said. There was no casualty in the landslide.
Though, the water flowed out, many areas in worst-hit Anil Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Dispur, Rajgarh, Zoo Road, G S Road, GNB Road and Bhagagarh continued to be under waist to ankle deep water, they added. (Agencies)