AMID CORONA CRISIS, FIRST WAVE OF FLOOD HITS ASSAM

The first wave of flood has hit Assam with tributaries of Brahmaputra crossing the danger level and causing a massive breach in AgiaLakhipur PWD road in Western Assam’s Goalpara district on Sunday amidst the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.

Informing that river Jiabharali in Sonitpur district and Puthimari in Nalbari district have crossed the danger level, Assam Disaster Management Authority here on Sunday said that heavy rainfall in the past two days due to Cyclone Amphan, which hit the state on Thursday, has resulted in rise in water levels of the Brahmaputra and many of its tributaries.

More than 20 villages in the Goalpara district have been affected in the first wave of floods.

Apart from Goalpara, several thousand people of at least 80 villages in Barpeta, Darrang, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nagaon district have also been affected.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the floods have hit around 3,000 people alone in Kalgachia revenue circle in Barpeta district and North Lakhimpur revenue circle in Lakhimpur district.

The water level of Brahmaputra river, Beki, Puthimari, Jia Bharali, Noona river are flowing above danger level marks in many places in the state.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed the district administrations to take preparatory measures for the forthcoming floods and asked them to be ready to face all challenges arising during the time of floods.

Pointing out that state was already stretched with the avalanche of reverse migration, the authorities said that the threat of flood was looming large as the state will have a tough time managing both Corona and flood at the same time. According to the ASDMA bulletin, the Jia Bharali River was flowing above the danger mark in Sonitpur also. One section of a road in the Rajaali village in Nagaon district has been damaged by the rising waters of the Borpani River and erosion was reported at three different areas in the Sonitpur district.