Four more dead, Assam flood toll touches 73

GUWAHATI: The flood in Assam today claimed four more lives taking the toll to 73 though the overall situation continued to improve with around five lakh people affected across 14 districts.
Two persons lost their lives in Morigaon district of central Assam and one each died in Barpeta and south Salmara districts, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.

With this, the toll in this year's flood related cases has gone up to 73, including eight in Guwahati.

Around five lakh people have been affected in Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Karimganj and Cachar districts, the ASDMA said.

Till yesterday, nine lakh people were affected in the latest wave of flood across 16 districts in the state.

At the Kaziranga National Park, 18 anti-poaching camps or 10 per cent of the area is under water.

ASDMA said 583 villages were under water and over 27,000 hectares of crop areas inundated.

The worst affected is Morigaon where over 80,000 people have been affected by the deluge followed by Barpeta with more than 55,000 people hit by the flood.

Authorities have been running 78 relief camps and distribution centres in 12 districts, where 8,523 people have taken shelter.

The government has distributed 1200.98 quintals of rice, 189.65 quintals of dal, 46.57 quintals of salt and 1,070. 51 litres of mustard oil among the flood victims during the last 24 hours, ASDMA said.

Across the state, 1,98,848 animals and poultry are affected by the flood waters.

Rivers such as the Dhansiri in Golaghat's Numaligarhand the Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger mark.

Due to the flood, many roads, embankments and bridges have been damaged in several districts.