Guwahati, August 18 (IANS): The authorities on Friday reported a slight improvement in the flood situation in Assam with over 2,200 villages in 20 districts still under a sea of water and the death toll climbing to 60. Eleven more people died in the last 24 hours across the state in the second wave of floods that have hit Assam since July.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said a total of 25,93,314 people had been hit hard. Of this, close to 90,566 people had taken shelter in 209 relief camps. The fresh 11 deaths were reported from Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, South Salmara, Kamrup, Morigaon and Kokrajhar districts. “There is a slight improvement compared to the last few days. Only 20 districts are flooded now compared to 24 on Thursday,” an official said, adding 1,22,975 hectares of agricultural land were still under flood waters. Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and apprised him about the grim situation. He urged him to send a second Central team to Assam and assess the widespread damages caused by the flood disaster.
Purohit submitted a detailed report on the widespread destruction to lives and properties. He told Modi that the Lower Assam districts that were unaffected in the previous rounds of floods had borne the brunt of the deluge now. Rail links were badly hit in the region. The Governor said the floods had taken a heavy toll on infrastructure including embankments, roads and bridges.
