Assam, Manipur floods: 48 killed, thousands evacuated amid heavy rains
As heavy rains persist in the northeastern states, the flood situation in Manipur and Assam remains critical. In Assam 46 people have died due to the flooding while Manipur has reported two deaths. Thousands have been relocated to relief camps due to the extensive damage to houses and infrastructure caused by the floods. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for all northeastern states for the upcoming days.
Thousands evacuated
Over 16.25 lakh people in 29 districts of Assam have been affected by the second wave of floods, leading to the evacuation of thousands. In Manipur, more than 2000 people have been moved from heavily flooded areas. The floodwaters have submerged approximately 2800 villages under 105 revenue circles and inundated over 39451.51 hectares of crop area across both states.
Infrastructure and wildlife severely affected by floods
The floods have caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with hundreds of roads, dozens of bridges, and thousands of houses affected across Assam and Manipur. The Brahmaputra River and its tributaries have breached danger levels, causing widespread destruction. The floods have also impacted wildlife in Kaziranga National Park where 11 wild animals have died and 65 others have been rescued so far.
Relief operations underway
Relief operations are being conducted by the Indian Army, state authorities, National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force across Assam and Manipur. Other northeastern states such as Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh are also contributing manpower to aid in relief efforts. The central government has pledged full support to the flood-hit states, offering additional manpower, boats, and life-saving materials.
IMD predicts more rainfall in northeastern states
The Regional Meteorological Centre of IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy rain in Meghalaya on Thursday. Heavy to very heavy rain is also expected in isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. Furthermore, Mizoram and Tripura are likely to experience heavy rain at isolated places, indicating a continued threat from floods.
Over 25,000 taking shelter in relief camps
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority reported a significant increase in the number of people affected by the floods, from 11.34 lakh in 28 districts on Tuesday evening to 16.25 lakh in 29 districts on Wednesday evening. Dhubri district has been hit hardest with 2.23 lakh people affected, followed by Darrang district with 1.83 lakh and Lakhimpur with 1.66 lakh. A total of 25,744 people are taking shelter in relief camps.
