Flood situation shows improvement in Assam

Guwahati, June 20 (IANS) Flood situation in Assam showed slight improvement on Wednesday even as one more person died in Karimganj district of Barak Valley taking the death toll of first wave of flood to 18. Over five lakh people in five districts of the state are, however, reeling under floods.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that 621 villages in flood hit Nagaon, Hojai, Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi are still reeling under floods. The total number of people affected by flood as on Wednesday is 5,14,597.

Although the first wave of flood affected seven districts last week, the situation has improved in two districts. The three districts in Barak Valley, however, remain the worst affected, the officials said.

"One person died in Karimganj district in Barak Valley on Wednesday, taking the flood-related death toll to 18," the officials said, adding that over 3,000 hectares of agricultural land with standing crops have also been affected.

Officials said that the Barak and Kushiyara rivers are flowing above danger levels in Karimganj.

Meanwhile, Assam Forest and Excise Minister Parimal Shuklabaidya has been visiting the flood hit districts of Barak Valley, taking stock of the situation as well as to oversee the relief and rescue operations initiated by the district administration.

"It is extremely painful to see herds of elephants and other wildlife, who have come out of the forest areas and roaming around helplessly due to floods. Everyone must understand the situation and should not adopt any cruelty towards the animals," he said.

The Minister also appealed the people of the state to come forward to help the wildlife of the state, who were also hit hard by the first wave of floods in different places.