GUWAHATI, Sept 22 � The overall flood situation in the State has remained unchanged with vast areas of the State remaining submerged under flood water. The flood-related death toll has shot up to four. Meanwhile, helicopter service has been requisitioned to airdrop food stuff and rescue personnel in Tinsukia district.
The number of affected districts has also shot up to 14 with the rise in the affected revenue circles to 43 from 13 and 33 yesterday. The number of affected people has also swelled up to 7,97,502 from 4.15 lakh yesterday.
The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger level at Dibrugarh, Nematighat, Tezpur, Guwahati and Dhubri, while the Burhidihing is flowing above the danger level at Khowang, Dhansiri (S) is flowing above the danger level at Numaligarh and the Jia Bharali is flowing above the danger level at NT Road Crossing (Sonitpur).
The Brahmaputra is maintaining a rising trend at Tezpur, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri. The Dhansiri (S) and the Jia Bharali are also maintaining a rising trend.
Our Dibrugarh Staff Correspondent adds: The flood-hit Upper Assam districts continued to reel under the worst ever deluge with the death toll rising to four even as the Brahmaputra and its tributaries showed receding signs occasionally.
One unidentified male body was recovered from near Madhupur village in Dibrugarh (West) Revenue Circle this noon while one woman, identified as Chandralata Barua, was washed away by the floodwater of the Brahmaputra from near Panchali here last evening. Two boys had drowned in Tinsukia district�s Dholla area on Thursday.
Although no official information has been received about death of livestock, their loss cannot be ruled out in the situation.
With slight improvement in the weather condition, the Tinsukia district administration requisitioned a helicopter today to airdrop food stuff and rescue personnel in the inaccessible flood-hit areas of Sadiya sub-division. ADC Prasenjit Gogoi told this newspaper that the floodwaters have not receded in the district.
In Dibrugarh district, the floodwaters washed away five more houses near Nepali Gereki village under Chabuwa Revenue Circle, the local Circle Officer Reena Mech informed. The deluge has devastated to standing crops in the district. Vegetable grown in Bogibeel, Madhupur and Lezai Kalkahowa have stopped coming to the city markets.
The NH-37 from Gabharupathar Police Outpost to Banipur Railway Crossing remains submerged under two feet of rainwater. Government schools and hospitals in Oakland and Maijan under Dibrugarh East Revenue Circle have also been inundated.
Our Tinsukia Correspondent adds: Besides the entire North Bank of Sadiya subdivision of Tinsukia, areas of six gaonpanchayats � Amarpur, Ambikapur, Na-Sadiya, Kundil Hologaon and Sunpura are completely cut-off from the Chapakhowa headquarters for the past three days.
A contingent of 40 NDRF personnel, along with Army have been pressed into service for rescue and relief operations. Due to lack of fuel, services of the mobile phones have been snapped in the flood-hit areas of the district.
Situation in the flood-hit areas under Doomdooma Revenue Circle continues to be grim with no change in the water level of the rivers. In all, 60 villages are under water affecting more than 60,000 people.
Our Biswanath Chariali Correspondent adds: Flood situation in Biswanath and Sootea is grim. The surging water of the Brahmaputra has entered through the breach in the Salmara dyke under the Naduar Revenue Circle of Sonitpur district submerging around 80 villages in Biswanath and Naduar Revenue Circles and affecting around 1,31,697 people during the past 24 hours.
Kumalia, Solmari, Palasani, Bhojmari, Koroini, Buduati, Kalakati, Bagha Centre, Ghiladharimukh are the most affected places of the two revenue circles. The administration has set up six relief camps in Biswanath and 26 in Naduar Revenue Circles to shelter the affected people.
