JONAI, Aug 3 � More than 15,000 people of 19 villages under the Jonai subdivision in Dhemaji district were displaced by the flash floods last month which were triggered by heavy rains in the northern Arunachal hills, according to the report of the subdivisional administration here.
The surging waters of the Simen and Lali rivers submerged 19 villages located in the southern part of the Jonai subdivision which washed away rural roads at Bahir-Jonai, Somkong, Telam, Misamara and Simenchapori gaon panchayats. About 15,347 people of 2,040 families have been affected in the flash floods which destroyed 1,327 hectares of standing crops in the affected areas, informed the Jonai SDO (C) who convened a press conference at his office chamber recently.
The flash floods in the Jonai subdivision, which started in early June this year, inundated many villages at Bahir-Jonai, Ramdhan, Somkong, Telam and Misamara gaon panchayats. The authorities earlier opened four relief camps which later increased to nine. The overall flood situation in the subdivision is said to have improved, but more than 3,000 families are still taking shelter in the relief camps.
The subdivisional administration distributed 238 quintals of rice, 44 quintals of dal, 13 quintals of salt and 50 quintals of fodder besides mustard oil and candles among the flood-affected people. The actual loss and damage in the flash floods have not yet been ascertained as the compiled reports of various departments are yet to be submitted.
The Circle Officer of Jonai Revenue Circle, FA Sheikh, who is closely monitoring the flood situation, on Friday said that the overall flood situation is improving as floodwaters have been receding in the worst-affected areas. The administration has forwarded a proposal for construction of 10 units of tarpaulin sheds for accommodation of relief inmates. The proposal is yet to be sanctioned.
�We have placed a proposal for construction of tarpaulin sheds for accommodation of the flood-hit, but no sanction has been accorded so far. Each shed will accommodate 40 families. The relief camps set up in various schools will be free soon after the construction of the tarpaulin sheds,� the Circle Officer said.