Srinagar: As Assam witnesses 81 new deaths becuase of devastating floods, the overall death toll has mounted to 107 in the state.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management (ASDMA), around 70 lakh people have been affected, 2,678 villages are under floodwaters and around 48,000 displaced people have taken refuge in 649 relief camps, across 21 districts in the state.
“Over 70 lakh people have been affected due to the floods. People, as well as animals, are being rescued from the affected areas and being shifted to relief camps and safer locations,” Assam Chief Ministe Sarbananda Sonowal told news agency ANI.
In this regard, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Assam Chief Minister, Sarbande Sonawal and assured that his government will be providing all the support to Assam in dealing with the havoc.
Quoting Assam Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta, Reuters reported, “the flood situation remains critical with most of the rivers flowing menacingly above the danger mark.”
In the state, the worst-hit districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Karbi Anglong.
Meanwhile, more than 100 wild animals, including rhinos, have died as the incessant rains and consequent flooding did not spare even the Kaziranga National Park, an international news organisation BBC reported.
The Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary spread across the Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts of Assam, is home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinos, which faced extinction at the turn of the century.
Besides the flood havoc, Assam is simultaneously witnessing the increase in COVID infections. On Sunday, the state recorded 22, 981 cases, of which 10,503 have been reported from Guwahati alone.
According to the data issued by the health authorities, the death cases due to the deadly virus has risen up to 53. A day before, the government of Assam, as part of ‘Unlock One’ strategy, passed orders prohibiting the inter-district movement of individuals from July 22 till further notice to combat the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, the state government of Assam has decided not to extend the 21-day lockdown that had earlier been imposed.
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