The flood situation in Assam continues to be grim. The deluge has wreaked havoc in the state and the death toll has now reached 107, of which 17 people have died in the landslides. Seven more people lost their lives on Thursday in Assam due to the devastating floods in the state. With seven more deaths due to floods in Assam, the flood death tally in the state has risen to 108.
As many as 45,34,048 people in 4536 villages in Assam are still affected by the floods. A total of 100869.76 hectares of cropland have been damaged, Assam state disaster management authority (ASDMA) said. Barpeta has the highest number of persons – 1,10,535 – in relief camps, according to the official figures. The floods have also damaged 592 houses in eight districts, the state disaster management authority said.The Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, as well as their tributaries, are in spate in most regions affected by the deluge.
It’s also a fact that for more than 60 years, the Centre and state governments have not found ways to contain the toll taken by the raging waters. In fact, authorities in all the states that share the Brahmaputra basin need to urgently put their heads together to resolve the perennial problem of floods in Assam. The Assam government, with central support, must implement policy geared to reduce and mitigate human activities that increase vulnerability without adversely impacting livelihoods. It must implement plans to help populations adapt to the climate impacts, such as better river and overflow management.
