Heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam for the last two days has
affected Sonitpur, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts of Assam submerging villages
and hitting a population of over 1.50 lakh.
Rain-fed river Brahmaputra, its tributaries and other rivers flowing down
from the upper reaches of Arunachal were causing the first wave of floods in
Assam submerging 105 villages in Lakhimpur district affecting 1.25 lakh people,
officials said on Saturday.
While the rising Humdiri river in Lakhimpur had overrun 15 new villages under
Lakhimpur revenue circle overnight, the swollen Subansiri flowing down from the
neighbouring state was rising menacingly breaching an agricultural embankment.
At least 20000 hectare of agricultural land had been covered by the flood
waters damaging standing crops there, the sources said.
Four persons drowned on Friday when the Ranganadi embankment breached at
Kharkati under Lakhimpur revenue circle.
In neighbouring Dhemaji district the deluge caused by the swollen Jiadhol
river affected Kechukhana, Ghuguha, Lowmuri, Naruathan and other areas affecting
25000 people, officials said.
The surging waters overtopping the National Highway 52 connecting Lakhimpur
and Dhemaji districts with Arunachal closing traffic on Friday has, however,
ebbed and movement of vehicles was restored on Saturday.
In Sonitpur district, the flood waters of Brahmaputra's tributary Jiabhorali
breached a major embankment at Gotaimari, submerging three villages and
rendering 25 families homeless on Saturday.
Chatrang river overran Ward number four areas of Gohpur town inundating most
of its low lying areas and of Brahmajan and Kalabari areas.
The Jiabhorali and Depota rivers were rising alarmingly and were feared to
cross their danger levels soon unless the heavy rainfall ceased.
Meanwhile, the district administrations were on high alert and providing
relief materials in the affected areas, officials added.
(DD-16.7)
