Flash floods affect lakhs in Assam's districts

Flash floods in upper Assam's Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts have affected over 2.5 lakh people with the swollen rivers inundating more than 100 villages following incessant rains during the last two days.

Official sources on Thursday said rain-fed rivers Chamaong, Gainadi, Ziadhol, Kumotia and Lali had overrun their banks flooding 90 villages in Dhemaji district. In neighbouring Lakhimpur district, more than 50,000 people in 110 villages were reeling under the impact of the sudden deluge caused by the overflowing rain-fed Ranganadi, Rangajan, Dihing, Kakpoi and Tingra rivers.

The Ziadhol and Kumotia have inundated vast tracks of human habitation and cropland in 40 villages, while the Gainadi along with Lali and Chamaong overran 25 villages each, the sources said.

The local people claimed that the flooding was due to absence of embankments or those breached by earlier floods not being repaired.

Communication through National Highway 15 was disrupted with no big vehicles plying with a culvert submerged by the flood waters. NH-15 goes up to Arunachal Pradesh where incessant rains in the catchment areas caused the floods downstream in Assam, the sources said.

At Bihiri village, about 100 flood affected families were taking shelter on railway tracks, they said. The affected villages in Lakhimpur district are in Naoboicha, Pandhuwa, Borsala, Kadamani and Koilamari areas.

There is no report of loss of life so far from both the districts.