GUWAHATI: There has been no let up in the flood situation in Assam with the population affected increasing yet again after a brief dip to 26.31 lakh across 26 districts in the past 24 hours.
The death toll has increased to 89 with two more casualties reported from Barpeta and Morigaon districts, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority informed on Wednesday evening.
Incessant rain scattered across the state and rising rivers have led to further deterioration in the situation. The Met office forecast for the next 24 hours is not encouraging either with heavy to very heavy rain predicted at isolated places over the state.
Goalpara district continues to bear the brunt with a population of about 4.68 lakh affected in Lakhipur, Balijana, Matia and Rongjuli revenue circles, followed by Barpeta and Morigaon districts where 3.81 lakh and 3.08 lakh people respectively remain affected by the deluge.
A crop area of 115,515.25 hectares in at least 18 districts remains affected by floodwater so far.
The Brahmaputra continues to flow above danger level in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri districts.
Besides, its tributaries such as Dhansiri (S) in Golaghat, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur, Kopili in Nagaon, Dharamtul in Nagaon, Beki in Barpeta and the Sonkosh in Dhubri continue to be in spate as well.
As many as 45,281 affected people are currently taking shelter in 391 relief camps/centres across the state.
The deluge situation in Kaziranga National Park remains critical as well with 126 of the 223 camps affected while 120 animals of the park have been killed in the current wave of floods so far.
The report of the divisional forest officer, Eastern Assam Wildlife division on Wednesday states that 147 animals of the park have been rescued till date.