DIBRUGARH, July 11 - The water level of the mighty Brahmaputra is flowing alarmingly above the danger level (105.70 m) here as it swelled to 106.03 metres at 2 pm today and was showing a rising trend. The river is close to break its previous highest water level recorded at 106.48 metres on September 3, 1998.
The rise in the water level of the Brahmaputra has already caused panic in the town here as seepage in several locations have been spotted from the ring bunds in Mohannaghat and Aithan area. Houses of about 200 families in the area have already been submerged and the gushing water from one location of the rung bund was spreading over to New Amollapatty area in the town. Although Water Resources department rushed to the spot last night and placed geo bags and sand bags so as to plug the seepage, the area is still under observation, officials here informed.
The swelling Brahmaputra and its tributaries have inundated about 33 villages besides tea gardens and tracts of agricultural lands in the district. Most of the submerged areas are experiencing the flood for the second time in the year. Chabua revenue circle is the worst affected where some 16 villages including the native village Mulukgaon of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has been affected by the flood.
In Dibrugarh West Revenue Circle, some 12 villages and in Dibrugarh East Revenue Circle 5 villages including tea gardens were submerged till the filing of this report. Similarly three municipal wards in the town are also experiencing the flood for the second time this season. Other areas of the town have been partially affected.
Dipjyoti Hatikakoty, District Project Officer, Assam State Disaster Management Authority said that as of now five relief camps were set up and a few more are being arranged in all the flood-affected areas. �As per our assessment till 1 pm, a population of about 22,808, over 525 hectares of crop area, 28791 big animals, 6797 small animals and 4337 poultry birds have been affected. We have reached out to the affected families with 174.75 quintal of rice, 32.13 quintal of dal and 9.65 quintal of salt as relief. We have also distributed masks and hand sanitizers,� the officer told The Assam Tribune.