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The flood situation in Assam, Orissa and West Bengal eased on Saturday as rains held off and major rivers receded allowing relief measures to gain momentum for an estimated 47 lakh people badly hit by the nature's fury.
The situation in severely flood-affected Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts of Assam improved marginally following stoppage of rains in catchment areas even as both the places remained cut-off from the rest of the country for the ninth day on Saturday.
There was cessation of rainfall in catchment areas in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh which resulted in flood water in some of the areas of the districts, official sources said in Guwahati.
Ronganadi, Kakoi, Pabha, Dikrong, Sessa, Singara, Gai and Jiadhol rivers were flowing with a rising trend though below the danger level.
Both Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts continued to be cut off from the country due to a nine-metre deep breach on the national highway 52 at Ganesh Udyan where a temporary bailey bridge is under construction jointly by the army and Border Security Force.
Eight lakh people were affected by the flood that claimed 22 lives and forced a large number of people to take shelter in make-shift camps on high roads and 15 relief camps set up by the district administration.
A Bhubaneshwar report said the water level in major rivers in Orissa fell and the weather improved as relief and rehabilitation operation in flood-ravaged areas of the state gained momentum.
However, the death toll due to floods mounted to five on Saturday with a 65-year old man being swept away by the waters of river Baitarani in Dhamnagar area of Bhadrak district, official sources said.
With two additional IAF helicopters engaged in relief work, about 250 quintals of food packets and other essential items were distributed among flood-affected people in the worst hit Balasore district, the sources said.
About 500 quintals of relief material, including food items, were rushed by train from Jajpur Road to Kantai in Balasore district for distribution in areas affected by floods which had claimed five lives, the sources said.
Relief operation also picked up in four other districts of Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapara, which were affected by floods in Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga, Baitarani, Jalaka and other rivers, the sources said.
About 90 health teams were deputed to the affected areas with adequate medicines and disinfectants to deal with possible outbreak of water-borne diseases. Steps were also taken to inspect and purify all water sources.
Though air-dropping of food packets and other essential items were carried out for the third day on Saturday, people in some inaccessible areas complained of inadequate supply.
The flood situation in East and West Midnapore districts of West Bengal today slowed a slight improvement even as the death toll mounted to 27 and a population of 27 lakh remained affected.
With the situation improving, air-dropping of food has been discontinued since yesterday as most of the areas could be reached by boats. Four companies of the Army, however, were still working in relief and rescue operations, he said.
Altogether 221 medical teams were working in the affected areas, Hossain said, adding 10 lakh pieces of halogen tablets for purifying drinking water, 40,000 packets of oral saline and 170 vials of anti-venom serum against snake bite and 1.55 lakh water pouches have been distributed.