Images Of Destruction From Assam: Death Toll Climbs To 20, 9 Lakh Affected

Bindita Sinhä

4 years ago

“Torrential rain hit at least 23 of Assam’s 33 districts, and the flood situation turning critical by the hour,” a state government flood bulletin said.

MORIGAON, INDIA – JUNE 28, 2020: A woman fetches water from a partially submerged hand pump in a flood-affected village in Morigaon district in the northeastern state of Assam, India,.- PHOTOGRAPH BY Anuwar Ali Hazarika / Barcroft Studios / Future Publishing (Photo credit should read Anuwar Ali Hazarika/Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

The officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) in Guwahati reported that “At least 20 people have died and more than 9.26 lakh people in 2,071 villages have been displaced in the current wave of floods that began last week and around 27,308 people took shelter in 193 relief camps“.

KAZIRANGA, INDIA – JUNE 28, 2020: A Submerged forest camp in flooded Kaziranga national park in Nagaon district in the northeastern state of Assam, India.- PHOTOGRAPH BY Anuwar Ali Hazarika / Barcroft Studios / Future Publishing (Photo credit should read Anuwar Ali Hazarika/Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Numerous villages in the Kalakhowa area of Dibrugarh district in Assam were flooded on Monday due to nonstop rainfall and waterlogging in the state, disrupting the normal lives in 23 out of the 33 state districts of Assam.

There has been incessant rainfall across the northeast region including Assam. Image credit: Mayur Eric Gohain

The continual rainstorm in Assam has resulted in the Brahmaputra River flowing above the danger levels flood fresh areas every day. Image credit: Mayur Eric Gohain

This disaster has also affected the reconstructing operations at Baghjan – where a leaking oil well of the state-owned Oil India Ltd (OIL) caught fire on June 9.

In relation to that, Oil India Limited (OIL) said, “All connecting roads to the OIL’s oil well site have been submerged with floodwater. Bridges have been damaged. At many places, water is flowing over the road with a knee to waist high. OIL’s operational areas are heavily inundated and Floodwater has entered the debris area, Kill Pump area, and CMT Water Pump area, making these unsafe for carrying out further operations. The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall till June 30.”

Around 27,308 people took shelter in 193 relief camps. Image credit: Joyeeta Talukdar

People taking refuge in a relief camp in Assam as heavy rains and floods weak havoc. Image credit: Joyeeta Talukdar

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, on Sunday, discussed the Assam flood situation with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and assured all kinds of help and support from the central government in dealing with the floods, relief, and the erosion of rivers.

The onset of monsoon in Assam brought with it the annual recurring flood. Image credit: Mayur Eric Gohain

Amidst the COVID-19 scare in the state, the flood has triggered and disrupted the lives of people and forced lakhs to flee their houses. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, 23 of the state’s 33 districts are affected, the worst being Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Udalgiri, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri Goalpara, and Kamrup.

People in a relief camp having dinner. At least 20 people have died and more than 9.26 lakh people in 2,071 villages have been displaced, local authorities said. Image credit: Joyeeta Talukdar

Over 9.5 lakh people in the state have been badly hit by the floods. Central forces have been deployed and extra steps are being taken to ensure that COVID-19 measures are being followed in the relief camps.