Flood and rain-induced landslips have so far claimed 11 lives in Assam with four persons drowning in three districts on Sunday. The disasters associated with a harsh monsoon killed at least nine people elsewhere in the northeast, taking the toll to 20.
Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said 3,181 villages had been inundated in 28 of the 33 districts, affecting 26,45,533 people. The authorities had increased the number of relief camps to 327 where 16,596 people, including 2,417 children, were taking shelter.
“Apart from deploying rescue teams with boats, we are ensuring adequate distribution of relief material that include rice, pulses, salt and mustard oil. Baby food, tarpaulin, medicines, chlorine for disinfecting and cattle fodder have also been provided,” said Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Additional Chief Secretary in charge of disaster management.
Western Assam’s Barpeta district continues to be the worst-affected district with 7.35 lakh people stranded or displaced. Dhubri and South Salmara districts with 3.38 lakh and 1.41 lakh affected people had overtaken north-eastern Dhemaji district that was first hit in what is being called the second wave of flood.
Dhemaji has 1.29 lakh flood-affected people followed by eastern Assam’s Golaghat district with 1.19 lakh.
Kaziranga critical
More than 75% of the 430-sq km Kaziranga National Park was inundated by Sunday including 155 of its 200 anti-poaching camps. Officials also reported the drowning of a hog deer and the death of six animals — different species of deer — due to vehicle hit.
Eight other animals injured while crossing the highway along the southern edge of the park were admitted to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation. Seven of them were released.
“Today [Sunday], we issued time cards for vehicles to cover a 49-km stretch of the highway in 74 minutes at an average speed of 40 km per hour. Violation of this limit will lead to punishment under Section 188 of the IPC,” Kaziranga’s Divisional Forest Officer Rohini B. Saikia said.
AES, JE toll 177
Assam has been simultaneously grappling with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE).
A spokesperson of the National Health Mission said five people died of AES and two of JE. The two forms of the vector-borne disease have claimed 177 lives since January.
“We have had 1,350 AES cases, of which 348 are JE. Till date, 101 people have died of AES and 76 of JE.”
Health officials said fogging was being carried out and medicated mosquito nets distributed in vulnerable areas.
