3 killed in Assam as rains lead to landslides, connectivity hit
At least three people have died and over 25,000 people are affected by landslides and flash floods across Assam.
Torrential rain and landslides in the past few days have eroded sections of roads and railway tracks in Assam’s Dima Hasao district affecting road and rail connectivity to Barak Valley region of the state, said Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials on Sunday.
“Three people including a woman died in landslide incidents at Haflong area in Dima Hasao district on Saturday,” the Authority was quoted as saying by ANI on Saturday. Their bodies were recovered on Sunday.
According to a bulletin issued by ASDMA on Sunday evening, no fresh deaths were reported on Sunday. Seven districts of the state were hit by floods and over 25,000 people affected.
“...Besides Dima Hasao, flooding was reported from five other districts of the state, but the situation there is not as bad,” said GD Tripathi, CEO, Assam State Disaster Management Authority.
A special advisory issued by Central Water Commission (CWC) on Sunday stated that Kopili river was flowing above danger level at Kampur in Nagaon district. Water level of Buridehing river in Tinsukia district and Barak river in Cachar district were also increasing, the advisory said.
Seventeen trains were cancelled/partially cancelled due to damage to tracks and bridges at 26 locations on a 76-km stretch in Dima Hasao district and two trains were suspended, which left thousands of passengers stranded. Buses and helicopters were pressed into service to rescue stranded people.
District officials said that all national and state highways in the district have been affected due to rain and landslides and there’s no electricity and internet connectivity in many areas.
“Efforts to evacuate 1,245 passengers from the 15616 SilcharGuwahati passenger train stranded at Ditokcherra is still underway. While many crossed a damaged bridge on foot and were sent by another train to Silchar. Nearly 200 passengers who were not in a position to cross the bridge on foot are being airlifted by Indian Air Force helicopters,” informed Sabyasachi De, CPRO, Northeastern Frontier Railway (NFR) on Sunday.
According to Dima Hasao officials, 30 villages in the district have been affected by rains and landslides since May 13.
“Road communication between Halflong and Ditokcherra and also between Ditokcherra and Silchar has been disrupted. Efforts are underway to repair roads,” Rikki B Phukan, district disaster management officer, Dima Hasao, said.