Assam Floods Affect More Than 5.76 lakh, Hit Kaziranga National Park
Assam is used to flooding in the monsoon season, but this year’s monsoon rains have caused major problems. Last week, the flood situation turned grim after flood water submerged more areas.
By Friday, more than 5.76 lakh people were feeling the effects of the massive water overload in 19 districts of the state.
Incessant rains over several days led to the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries reaching or exceeding the danger level mark in many places.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that more than half a million people (5,76,537) from 1,071 villages in 19 districts were affected by flooding.
Three lower Assam districts were the most affected. Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Dhubri collectively had 3.50 lakh people suffering problems because of the excess water.
460 villages in six districts were inundated, and 1,22,322 residents took shelter in 177 relief camps set up by the district administrations.
In many places, public infrastructure was washed away by the Flood waters. More than 100 roads, embankments and bridges were damaged or completely washed away in flood hit districts.
Flooding worsened in Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Dhemaji, Chirang, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivsagar, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Golaghat, Morigaon, Nagaon, Kamrup, Goalpara, and Darrang districts.
The Indian army assisted with flood relief operations in lower Assam, providing assisance to more than 2,500 people.
A Guwahati-based defence spokesman said six army columns were workng in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Bongaigaon districts, An army column consistis of one officer, two JCO’s, and 35 other ranks. The soldiers have access to universal assault boats with an onboard motor, life jackets and flood relief stores.
The Forest service was also affected, and flood waters inundated 27 anti-poaching camps in Kaziranga National Park. As the waters rose, many wild animals, including one-horned rhinos ans buffalo Left the lower areas od the park, to take shelter in higher land.
“We have taken necessary steps to protect wild animals from poachers after many animals crossed NH-37 and entered the nearest Karbi Anglong hill areas,” a park official said.
