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Thousands hit by floods in State

By Correspondents

SONARI/DIBRUGARH/ TEZPUR, April 23 - The flood situation in parts of Assam remained critical following incessant rains for the past few days. The Sonari area is the worst affected, while other parts of Upper Assam districts and Sonitpur are also facing the fury of floods.

The flood situation in the newly created Charaideo district turned alarming today with the waters of Desang, Towkok, Teok and Balijan rivers rising up to six to eight feet. Rainwaters from the nearby Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh have worsened the situation in three revenue circles � Sonari, Mahmora and Sapekhati of the district since last evening.

The first wave of floods inundated about 40 villages, affecting over 12,000 people in the district. A total of six relief camps have been made operational in the Sonari Revenue Circle. Army has been providing all help in rescue operations in the flood-hit areas. A designated camp was opened by the Army at Banfera under Sonari PS.

Many schools and colleges, including BPB Memorial HS School, Town High School, and Mahmora College of the district are completely submerged.

Monimala Phukon Borthakur, DC, Charaideo, informed over telephone that rescue teams are working in flood-hit areas and several boats have been kept ready for rescue operations.

The BSNL�s mobile and landline services are not working here causing severe hindrances in disaster management services. The affected people have failed to contact district administration for help.

In Dibrugarh district, floodwaters have continued to submerge swathes of agricultural land and human habitations following incessant rainfall since the past several days. The swelling tributaries like the Burhidihing, Sessa, Dilli are flowing above the danger level in all areas within the district since yesterday.

The revenue circles of Khowang, Dibrugarh (West) and Naharkatia are the worst affected. The floodwaters have touched NH 37 in the Khowang area and appear to be alarming. Several hectares of agricultural land and some homes in the area have been submerged.

In the Dibrugarh (West) Revenue Circle, the Kalakhowa, Lezai and Gorudhuria Gaon Panchayats are the worst affected. The agricultural tracts in these areas have remained submerged for the past three days. Now the rising floodwaters have begun entering the houses of farmers, said Utpal Dehingia, son of a local gaonburha. The farmers in the area have already lost their standing crops.

In Naharkatia, at least three areas have been affected. The areas are Hilgrant, Bahal Kalagora near Sassoni and Puroni Gaon (Koiborto village). Deepjyoti Hatikakoty, Project Officer, District Disaster Management Cell, informed that the departmental officials from the Naharkatia Revenue Circle have been making efforts to extend help to the needy in Hilgrant.

In Sonipur district, life in the Rangapara town and its adjoining areas has been severely affected. Many areas at Rangapara and its outskirts, like Namanigaon, Tengabasti, Tatshalgaon, etc, have been flooded. The overflowing waters of river Gabharu have damaged surface communication in these areas. Storm accompanied by heavy rains lashed the area damaging properties worth lakhs of rupees.

Meanwhile, one Rupsan Brahma of Rangapara, who was struck by lightning, was admitted to the Tezpur Medical College and Hospital this morning.

In Jorhat district, the first wave of pre-Monsoon floods today inundated at least four villages of the Teok Revenue Circle, affecting more than 2,500 people and their livestock after the swollen Jhanji river breached a ring-bund at Arunamukh, besides washing away a sluice gate at Bonai.

The affected villages are Sumoimari, No.2 Kaoimari, Gelekoni and Bonaipathar.

Officials of the district disaster management cell said they have made a survey for providing foodstuff and other relief materials for the affected.

�About 2,500 people of the Teok Revenue Circle have been affected by this wave of flood. We have taken up adequate measures to provide relief there,� said Jorhat DC Solanki Vishal Vasant.

A concrete bridge was also washed away by the floodwaters of a rivulet called Athubhonga Jan in western Jorhat today.

However, according to Water Resource Department data, the water levels of both Jhani and Bhogdoi rivers started receding from the danger mark this afternoon, as the amount of rainfall decreased at the sources of these rivers.

Asked whether the mighty Brahmaputra can pose any immediate threat to the riverside population, officials of the Central Water Commission said the Brahmaputra is still flowing two meters below the danger level at Neamatighat.

As heavy rainfall caused artificial floods in areas like Tarajan Kakotygaon, Choladhora, Club Road and several other localities of the Jorhat city area, several senior citizens and local residents demanded of the municipal administration to clear the clogged drains immediately.

The Water Resource Department officials and the district disaster management cell are yet to start any survey in the flood-hit areas of the city to count the actual number of flood-hit people.

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