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Vendors sell vegetables at a flooded market following heavy monsoon rains in Dibrugarh on Tuesday.[/caption]
Guwahati, July 9 (PTI): The flood situation in Assam turned serious on Tuesday with over 62,000 people getting affected across eight districts.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said 145 villages are under water and 3,435 hectares of crop areas have been damaged.
The situation could turn worse as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast enhanced rain in the northeastern states including Assam in the next few days.
Around 62,400 people are suffering due to flood in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Barpeta, Chirang, Golaghat, Jorhat and Dibrugarh districts.
The ASDMA said authorities are running five relief camps and distribution centres in two districts, where 203 people have taken shelter.
Embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and many other infrastructure have been damaged at various places in Barpeta, Udalguri, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Jorhat districts.
Massive erosions have been witnessed at various places of Sonitpur, Udalguri, Jorhat and Barpeta districts.
The Brahmaputra river at Nimatighat in Jorhat, the Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, the Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, the Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup and the Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta are flowing above the danger marks, the ASDMA said.
The IMD said the North Eastern states are likely to experience enhanced rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rain in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during July 9-12.
Heavy rainfall predicted across Northeast
The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) has predicted ‘enhanced rainfall activity’ over north-eastern states during the next four days.
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Guwahati press release on Tuesday, the current meteorological analysis and numerical model guidance suggests continuation of widespread rainfall activity across north-eastern states during the next five days (July 8-12).
Heavy rainfall is expected over Ukhrul district on Wednesday and Chandel district on Thursday. Similar rainfall pattern was also predicted over Tamenglong and Senapati districts on July 12.
Meanwhile, the water level of the state’s important rivers – Imphal and Nambul which passes through the greater Imphal area has been increased on Tuesday afternoon.
Both Senapati and Noney districts recorded rainfall of more than 12 mm each on Tuesday according to daily rainfall data released by Directorate of Environment, Government of Manipur.
As per official records, north-eastern states particularly the state of Manipur is reeling from drought like conditions as the state records 50% rainfall deficit till end of June.
In view of the development, the state Chief Minister N Biren Singh led coalition government had started to distribute water pump sets to the needy farmers.
However, farmers both from valley and hills continued to demand necessary irrigation facilities and fertiliser from the government through media.
Farmers from Tamenglong, Nongchup Imphal Loumi-Sinmi Chaokhat Thourang Lup and farmers from various parts Senapati have shared their grievances and concern over the lack of adequate water for their fields following scanty rainfall in the region.
“We’re requesting the government to provide irrigation facilities (Water pump sets) and adequate fertiliser at this eleventh house of the cultivation season,” said advisor of the farmer’s body of Imphal west district.
Keisham Jayenta, acting president of the Apunba Loumi Thoubal district said that the state government should provide adequate fertiliser to the needy farmers as 70% of the farmers under their jurisdiction are non-pattadars.
“Provide us required fertilisers at the government subsidized rate. Otherwise we may not be able to undergo cultivation process,” he said.
