GUWAHATI: The flood situation is Assam continues to remain critical with one person reported dead in Karimganj, taking the overall toll in the state to 18 on Wednesday, even as the water level in some of the major rivers were below danger level.
Till date, 514,597 people in 671 villages under 16 revenue circles across five districts have been affected by the first wave of the floods, the bulletin issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority here said.
The affected districts are Cachar, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Hojai and Nagaon.
A crop area of 3547.65 hectares has been affected by the deluge with 1890.65 hectares under water in Hailakandi alone.
However, the water levels of some of the rivers that were in spate have receded now with only two – Barak at Badarpurghat in Karimganj and Kushiyara at Karimganj – currently flowing above danger level, a report of the Central Water Commission said.
NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) teams evacuated 9000 persons from Hailakandi and 143 persons with the help of 66 boats on Wednesday.
Altogether, 154 camps are operational in Karimganj, Hailakandi, Cachar and Nagaon with 1,49,129 inmates. Besides, 19 relief distribution centres are also operational in Karimganj, Cachar and Nagaon.
Meanwhile, heavy river erosion was observed at Solengi and Sessa embankments in Biswanath while a portion of a village in Barpeta was also eroded by the river.