BARPETA June 30 - Though the water level of most of the rivers flowing across Barpeta district began to recede since yesterday, the overall flood situation in the district remains critical even today. With inundation of more villages, the number of affected villages has gone up to 512 this afternoon and affected people up to five lakh.
Meanwhile, four persons have lost their lives during the current wave of flood. According to official sources, body of Pintu Das, son of Rabi Das and a resident of Roumari near Bhabanipur has been recovered today. The 32-year-old youth drowned yesterday and was washed away by the strong current of Palla river. One Gopal Ghosh (60), son of Ganesh Ghosh and a resident of Rajaghat also lost his life due to drowning yesterday.
One person lost his life due to drowning in a ditch on the road created by strong current of flood water at Barshala under Sarthebari police station of the district this afternoon. The person identified as Naren Das (58), a resident of the village and an employee of the Irrigation department was approaching towards nearby Palla village when he suddenly slipped into the ditch. Though a woman who saw the incident came forward for his rescue, her efforts proved to be futile. Bikodar Boro (60) son of Upen Boro and a resident of Bamunpaka under Sarthebari police station also was drowned this afternoon and his body has been recovered.
Earlier, a child identified as Sheikh Farid, son of Jafar Ali lost his life due to drowning near his residence at Karaiketi under Tarabari PS in the district on the June 28 last.
But the most pathetic death related to this current wave of flood is the death of a woman at Howli. According to information available, Dalimi Das, a mother of five children lost her life in her residence and the body was recovered today floating in water inside her residence. It is learnt that her two sons lives somewhere else due to their job and three daughters have been married. As a result, she lived a lonely life in her residence at Amtola near Howli. The neighbours noticed that the lady has not been seen out of her home for the last two days. So out of curiosity some of them had arrived in her residence only to witness the pathetic scene. They informed the police who took possession of the body and arranged for post-mortem.
The overall flood situation in the district showed no sign of improvement today and affected villages under Sarthebari and Baghbar Circle area crossed hundred each. With more than five lakh affected people, the district administration is facing a harrowing task to tackle the situation as the situation in some areas has been going from bad to worse with the passage of time.
Road communication, agriculture and fishery are the worst affected as most of the roads in the district are either washed away or submerged. After the closure of Nagaon-Sarthebari road due to waist-deep water flowing over a long stretch of the road the alternative road to Barpeta from Sarthebari via Byaskuchi and Chenga has also been submerged in a number of places today. Crop land measuring about 22000 hectares has been damaged by the current wave of flood leaving the farmers in dire straits. The loss in the fishery sector is yet to be assessed.
About 2 lakh animals have been severely affected out of which two have been washed away. Moreover, a few dwelling houses have also been damaged . Till now nine relief camps have been opened in the district, in which 824 persons have been sheltered.