Guwahati, August 28: Incessant rain at isolated places of Assam worsened the flood situation in the state with as many as 17 districts affected, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported on Monday evening.
According to the ASDMA flood bulletin, about 1.90 lakh people are currently bearing the brunt of the deluge, which is almost a four-fold jump in terms of population affected.
The districts where areas have been inundated in the wake of heavy rainfall include Biswanath, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Tamulpur and Udalguri.
Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts are the worst impacted by the rain-triggered deluge as on Monday evening. Over 47,000 people in Lakhimpur district and over 40,000 in Dhemaji district are currently affected by the rising waters, the ASDMA report said.
According to ASDMA, as many as 522 villages across 42 revenue circles are affected by floods. Forty five relief distribution centres and two relief camps are currently operational in four districts.
According to the CWC (Central Water Commission) bulletin at 8am on Monday, the rivers Brahmaputra (Dibrugarh; Dhubri; Tezpur; Neamatighat), Beki (Road Bridge), Jia-Bharali (Nt Road Crossing), Disang (Nanglamuraghat), Dikhou (Sivasagar) and Subansiri (Badatighat) were flowing above danger level.
Notably, the flood situation in the next few days is unlikely to improve with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting heavy rainfall over isolated places across Northeast till September 1, 2023.
Now, even as the monsoon trough’s eastern end is anticipated to transition into an active phase next month, till then, a cyclonic circulation near west Assam will continue to drench the region with intense rain, the IMD informed.
Meanwhile, owing to the rising water level of the Brahmaputra and submersion of approach roads, ramps and jetties, operation of all departmental boats, vessels in the Guwahati-based ferry services under inland water transport division, Guwahati, have been temporarily suspended with effect from Tuesday until further orders, a notification issued by IWT, Ulubari here said on Monday.
“This is in view of the safety of people and property,” the office order said.
It may be mentioned that heavy rain lashed Guwahati city on Monday evening, triggering water-logging in several areas.
As it is, with the Brahmaputra in spate in the wake of heavy rainfall, the Majuli-Nimatighat ferry services in Upper Assam have already been suspended indefinitely.