Assam reels under floods; Majuli and Kaziranga affected

GUWAHATI: At least 10 districts of Assam were reeling under flood water with the Asia's largest river island Majuli and the famed Kaziranga National Park being the worst affected, officials said today.

Rising water of the Brahmaputra has inundated vast tracts of land in Kaziranga's Burapahar, Bagori and northern parts of Agratoli with three animal casualty reported.

Two deer were knocked down by speeding vehicles in Harmoti area when they were on way to the highlands, while an elephant drowned in the flood waters in Bagori range.

The situation in the world's largest island was also grim with the water level of the Brahmaputra flowing above the danger level at Majuli, Kamalabari, Nematighat and Jhanjimukh affecting over 45 villages with an estimated population of 25,000.

Vast tracts of agricultural land have been inundated with severe scarcity of drinking water reported from most of the villages.

A 10-member team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was camping at Majuli island to conduct rescue operations in the villages submerged during the third wave of flood this year.

According to the Central Water Commission report, Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger mark at Nematighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri, while Dhansiri was flowing above the red mark at Numaligarh in Golaghat and the Jiadhol in Sonitpur while the Puthimari and Beki in Barpeta.

Nearly four lakh people have been affected in 28 revenue circles and 615 villages in the 10 districts - Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhemaji, Jorhat, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari and Sonitpur.

Altogether 77 relief camps have been set up in the affected districts with the district administration providing relief, the officials said.