GUWAHATI, Aug 25 � The floodwaters of the Jiadhal and Gai River have inundated 24 villages for the second time, since August 15, today. The fresh flood has affected around 13,000 people of these villages. Dhemaji District Disaster Management Authority (DDDMA) sources attribute this development to the rains that is occurring over the district since yesterday.
The road connectivity to the Sisibargaon and Jonai Revenue Circles of the district, beyond the district headquarter town of Dhemaji, is yet to be restored. The floodwater of the Gai River washed away nearly 200 metres of the NH-52 at Gainadi area on August 15.
Again, the Jiadhal floodwater breached about 40 metre stretch of the approach road on the western end of the Jiadhal Bridge at Laumuri Gaon, on the Butikur-Ghilamora PWD Road the same day. This portion also remains to be repaired, said the sources.
The railway link to the district is also snapped since August 15. The Gai River has washed away nearly 80 metres of rail track at Gainadi area that day. The Railways have not started the work to restore the rail link, said the DDDMA sources.
However, the Dhemaji district administration is trying to prevent any artificial scarcity of the essential items. The stock of the essential items in the district is sufficient till now to last for one month. And in regards to relief items, the stock is sufficient to last for a week, said the DDDMA sources.
The Dhemaji district administration has asked the Food Corporation of India (FCI) authorities to allot an additional quantity of 20,000 quintals of rice for relief purposes.
There are sufficient stocks of dal, mustard oil, salt and other essential commodities in the district at present. The stock of life saving medicines is also sufficient.
The district administration has deployed two mobile medical teams for the benefit of the flood-hit people, said the sources.
It needs mention here that a total population of over 1.60 lakh belonging to 291 villages of the district is affected by the floods this year. Six persons were killed by the floods in the district and Sisibargaon Revenue Circle with 95 of its villages under floodwater has topped the list of the flood-raved four revenue circles of the district. The other Revenue Circles ravaged by the floods in the district include Dhemaji (94 villages), Gogamukh (60 villages and Jonai (42 villages).
Five of the relief camps set up for sheltering the flood affected people have been continued in the Sisbargaon Revenue Circle and 2,538 people are staying in these camps.
The floods have damaged 20,534 hectares of crop area and affected an overall area of 28,295 hectares in the district, said the DDDMA sources.
On the other hand, sources in the Lakhimpur District Disaster Management Authority (LDDMA) said that the Kakoi River is flowing above the danger level.
Meanwhile, the Asam Sahitya Sabha has made an appeal to its branch units to donate liberally in aid of the flood victims of Dhemaji district.
