Barring Assam, flood situation in NE improving

Guwahati/Agartala/Aizawl/Imphal: The overall flood situation in the north-east continued to improve on Monday, except in Assam, where two more persons died, taking the death toll due to flood-related incidents in the region to 25, officials said.

While the water level in the rivers of Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur are receding, it is maintaining a rising trend in the six affected districts of Assam. Two persons died in Cachar and Hailakandi districts in Barak Valley of Assam since yesterday, taking the death toll in the state to 14, according to a report issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Monday. A population of 5,48,983 in the districts of Nagaon, Hojai, Golaghat, Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj have been affected by the flood.

Karimganj district is the worst hit with the Kushiara, Barak and Longai rivers maintaining a rising trend. A total of 2,34,664 people are affected in the district, the report said.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had directed the Karimganj district authorities to speed up the relief-and-rescue operations and release a one-time financial assistance to the family members of those who died in the flood, official sources said. The ASDMA report said 437 relief camps were set up across the state, where 1,59,652 people had taken shelter. A total crop area of 2,186 hectares had been washed away in the flood, it said, adding that damage to embankments, roads and bridges was reported in Cachar, Hojai, Karbi Anglong East, Dima Hasao, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts. Karbi Anglong East and Dima Hasao had initially been affected by the flood. The water level of the Dhansiri river at Numaligarh in Golaghat, the Barak river at AP Ghat in Cachar and the Katakhal at Matizur in Hailakandi was rising and these rivers were flowing above the danger level, the report said.