GUWAHATI, July 14 - The flood situation in Assam deteriorated further today with the State witnessing the highest single day spike in the number of death with as many as nine persons losing their lives in the last 24 hours. With this, the death toll in the flood has risen to 59.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), close to 33 lakh people in 28 districts have been affected by the floods, while the deaths have been reported from the districts of Biswanath (1), Golaghat (1), Barpeta (2), Tinsukia (2) and Dibrugarh (3).
The flood situation is likely to worsen further with the meteorological department predicting rainfall in the State as well as other parts of the northeastern region in the next 72 hours.
Meanwhile, with the aggravating flood condition taking a toll on the road communication, movement of vehicles has been disrupted in many parts of the State. The Nagaon district administration on Tuesday prohibited movement of all kinds of vehicles on the flooded stretch of the NH-37 between Kohora and Bagori in the Kaziranga National Park.
In an order, the Nagaon district administration directed all vehicles plying from Guwahati or Nagaon side towards upper Assam to take the alternate route through Borghat via Hojai or the route via the north bank of the Brahmaputra river.
As per ASDMA 28 districts � Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanth, Sonitpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chairang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, West Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Karbi Anglong � were reeling under flood waters that have also submerging 1,28,495 hectares of cropland in 3,371 villages under 92 revenue circles.
Barpeta has been the worst-hit district where nearly 5.5 lakh people in over 500 villages have been affected. Altogether 44,108 people are taking shelter in 517 relief camps set up across the State.
The Brahmaputra in Jorhat, Sonitpur, Kamrup (Metro), Goalpara and Dhubri, Burhidehing in Dibrugarh, Dhansiri in Golaghat, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur, Kopili in Nagaon, Beki in Barpeta, Kushiyara in Karimganj and Sankosh in Dhubri were flowing above the danger level.
Flood waters have also affected 13,46,261 big animals, 6,65,214 small animals and 13,84,862 poultry across the State.
In the past 24 hours, flood waters damaged a number embankments in Biswanath, Kamrup, Nagaon, Kokrajhar, Sivasagar and Udalguri districts along with a number of roads in Majuli, Nalbari, Goalpara, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Udalguri, Dhubri, Kamrup, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Golaghat and Karimganj districts.
A number of incidents of flood-triggered erosion have also been reported from Nalbari, Baksa, Biswanath, Udalguri and South Salmara districts. Flood waters have also inundated 173 forest camps in Kaziranga National Park, 12 in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and 20 camps in Orang National Park.
