Assam flood: One more dies, nearly 20 lakh people in 21 districts affected

flood situation in Assam improved furr on Tuesday with waters receding from one more district even though ar person died and nearly 20 lakh people remained affected by deluge, according to an official bulletin.

One person died at Bokakhat in Golaghat district, taking toll in this year's flood and landslides to 130. While 104 people died in flood-related incidents, 26 were killed in landslides, Assam State Disaster Manment Authority (ASDMA) said in its bulletin.

Flood waters have receded from one more district and number of people affected by deluge has decreased by over 2.52 lakh since Monday.

Over 19.82 lakh people in 21 of state's 33 districts are still affected by deluge, according to bulletin.

Goalpara continues to be worst-hit district with over 4.45 lakh people being affected by flood, while 3.07 lakh and 2.7 lakh people have been submerged in Barpeta and Morigaon districts respectively.

ASDMA said that 1,771 vills and over 1.04 lakh hectare of cropland are under water in state.

district ministrations are operating 398 relief camps and distribution centres in 16 districts, where 42,275 people have taken shelter.

Brahmaputra river is flowing above danger level in Dhubri, Goalpara, Jorhat and Sonitpur districts. Its tributaries Dhansiri, Jia Bharali and Kopili are also flowing above red mark at various places.

ASDMA said that flood has claimed lives of 137 animals in Kaziranga National Park.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sowal on Tuesday visited erosion-hit areas of Biswanath and Lakhimpur districts and reviewed preventive measures being undertaken by water resources department.

Sowal said although erosion was a major problem in Assam, it was t considered as a natural calamity in government relief manual.

However, 15th Finance Commission included erosion as a natural calamity, chief minister said, ding that state government h me a representation to Commission for it.

Embankments, ros and many or infrastructure have been damd at various places in Chirag, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Jorhat, Majuli, Goalpara and Golaghat districts.

21 flood-affected districts are Dhemaji, Biswanath, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar and Dibrugarh.