Flood situation in Assam grim

The flood situation in Assam continued to remain grim with nearly 90 lakh people affected and disruption in the rail and road communication links. The flood has claimed 58 lives and affected 26 of the 27 districts.

Incessant rainfall in the catchment areas has caused the water level in the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries to rise further and it was flowing above the danger level in all the affected districts.

The state government has deputed officers of commissioner's rank in every district to monitor the distribution of relief work while a central team of medical experts visited flood affected areas in Lower Assam to review the situation and provide help to the victims.

Rail traffic has been restored in some sections but traffic was being regulated with freight trains carrying essentials being given priority.

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Army authorities have been alerted and helicopters requisitioned to evacuate marooned people in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh, which remained cut-off from the rest of the country for the second time. A heavy downpour in the past 48 hours has worsened the flood situation in the district.

When contacted on phone, sources at the district headquarter Tezu said that the surface communication, which was restored for three days last week, was cut off again on Saturday as flood waters from swollen rivers inundated the entire district. Around 50,000 people are affected.

The district administration has geared up to rescue the marooned people and provide relief. So far, there is no report of any casualty due to the floods.

All the major rivers are flowing above the danger mark and areas under Chowkham, Sunpura, Namchai and Mahadevpur circles and Tezu have been affected.