Rain ravaged: Monsoon floods kill 52

Twenty-six deaths have been reported in Assam, where incessant downpours have damaged roads and snapped telephone cables in several districts, a government statement said.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh visited the flood ravaged Morigaon district in Assam along with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday and pledged all support to the state government in the post-flood situation. The Home Minister visited Jagi Bhakatgaon flood relief camp and handed over relief materials to the affected people and also made ex-gratia payment to the next of kin who died in the flood.

Later talking to newsmen, Singh said the flood situation in the state was grim and the Central government will extend all support to the Sonowal-led state government to face the post-flood situation.

Twenty-six people have lost their lives in the deluge and nearly 19 lakh have been affected across more than 3,300 villages in 22 districts of the state. After undertaking the aerial survey, the Home Minister said an action plan was required to tackle the flood situation and dismissed the need to declare it as a “natural calamity”.

“I have been told that around 26 people have died over the past one week due to floods in Assam. Declaring the flood situation as a natural calamity is not the solution, there is a need for an action plan to deal with it,” he added.

“State government has announced Rs 4 lakh compensation to the victims. Over 26 districts have been affected due to flood situation and NDRF team is working for rescue and relief work,” he said.

Five lakh displaced people have taken shelter at relief camps. Floods have also caused massive damage to infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Twenty-six deaths also have been reported in Bihar due to drowning and home collapses in 10 districts bordering Nepal.

The Bihar government was running more than 350 relief camps providing food and other necessities to the flood victims. The Centre-run National Disaster Response Force was helping with relief efforts.

In Uttar Pradesh, all major rivers of Terai region continue to flow either above or near the danger mark due to continuous rain in upper Himalayan reaches and excess water release from barrages. A total of 52 Tehsils of 20 districts and over 800 villages with over two lakhs persons are flood affected. Most among them include Siddharthanagar, Pilibhit, Barabanki, Basti, Kushinagar and Badaun. The administration has established as many as 41 relief camps in the affected districts.

In Tamil Nadu, flood alert has been issued in low lying areas near South Pennai river in Krishnagiri district. Heavy rain has hit normal life in many parts of Salem district. Chennai MeT office said the south west monsoon has been vigorous over north Tamil Nadu.

Heavy rain in Karnataka has led to an increased inflow of water into rivers and lakes in Krishnagiri and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu.

Incessant heavy rain has crippled normal life in several parts of Bengaluru. Water logging has been reported from many areas, with a number of houses flooded. Overflowing lakes and drains coupled with uprooted trees compounded woes for commuters.