Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said excessive rainfall in three districts of Nagaland triggered unprecedented floods in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts of the state.
Addressing mediapersons in Guwahati, Sarma said that excessive rainfall (close to 500 percent more rain) in three districts of Nagaland (Mon, Mokokchung and Wokha) between July 18 and July 20 triggered unprecedented floods in Charaideo and Sivasagar districts.
Sarma said excessive rainfall (33 percent in Assam) has also aggravated the situation in the affected districts. “The floods this time has not been the conventional deluge when rivers swell and rising water breach embankments,’ he said.
Meanwhile, the flood situation in Assam continues to remain grim with 11 districts affected and six more deaths reported from Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, even as a central ministerial team is scheduled to arrive in the state for flood damage assessment on Saturday.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) sources informed on Thursday night that four human casualties have been reported from Sivasagar district while two were reported from Charaideo districts in the past 24 hours, taking the human death toll to 47.
Among the districts affected are Golaghat, Hojai, Kamrup, Charaideo, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Nagaon, Kamrup (Metro), Karbi Anglong and Tinsukia.
“There has been heavy loss to life and property. The death toll has risen to 47 and likely to increase in the coming days as eight are reported missing in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Dhemaji districts. The number of missing could be more according to reports,” Sarma said.
The Chief Minister further said that about 20 percent affected population in each of the two districts has been inaccessible for relief distribution.
“But we will reach out to them soon. Our government is working 24×7 to provide relief to the affected people with constant supply of food, water, medicines and other essentials,” he said.
In regard to electricity disconnection, he said that since the water had flown over the transformers, power transmissions to about 40,000 houses had to be snapped as a safety measure.
Earlier, the chief minister chaired a video conference with deputy commissioners and senior officials stationed across the flood affected districts to review the government’s ongoing response to the situation.
He further informed that an Inter-Ministerial Central Team is scheduled to arrive in the state on Saturday for a systematic on-the-spot assessment of the flood damages in the state.
Meanwhile, the ASDMA informed on Friday afternoon that the rivers Dikhow at Sivasagar in Sivasagar district; Desang at Nanglamoraghat in Sivasagar district and Dhansiri (S) at Numaligarh in Golaghat district continued to be in “severe flood situation”. In view of the continuous rise in the water levels of the rivers, residents have been advised to stay away from the river.
On the other hand, three urban districts – Kamrup Metro, Kamrup and Dibrugarh – have also been affected by the deluge with 14 wards in Kamrup Metro affected.
Heavy rain on Thursday afternoon paralysed several localities of Guwahati with flash flood and waterlogging reported from several localities.
Many localities have been inundated by knee-deep water which has remained stagnant overnight, owing to drainage issues, thereby compounding problems of residents.
Excessive rainfall in 3 nagaland districts led to unprecedented floods in sivasagar, charaideo: assam cm
