Assam flood damage ‘very profound’

An inter-ministerial central team assessing the damages caused by floods in Assam today termed the destruction as “very profound and large-scale”.

The seven-member team is in the state since July 25, on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the damages caused by the flood.

The team headed by Union Joint Secretary Home Affairs V Shashank Shekhar called on Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal today and apprised him about their findings after visiting the flood-affected districts, official sources said. Shekhar told the chief minister that they personally saw the damages, distress and migration of the flood-hit people and observed that the destruction was “very profound and large-scale”.

As part of their on-the-spot-assessment, the teams interacted with the affected people and respective district administrations to find out the intensity of the damages caused by the flood, Shekhar told the chief minister.

The teams, divided into two groups, visited the flood-hit Brahmaputra and Barak valley districts of Biswanath, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj.

Mr Sonowal appreciated the central team’s visit to the state in the midst of floods as it helped them to see the real damages casued by the flood, the sources said.

Mr Sonowal said that most of the embankments which were constructed as safeguard to rural habitations had outlived their utility.