'Deeply disturbed' Devegowda appeals to PM Modi to pay attention to Assam floods 

'Deeply disturbed' by the reports of floods in Assam, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Devegowda on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government, urging them to pay urgent attention to the situation and offer maximum assistance. 

'They are fighting on two fronts'

In a statement posted on Twitter, the former PM said, "It is very unfortunate that the people of Assam have to battle the floods, and the deaths and displacement caused by it when the COVID-19 pandemic is raging across the nation. They are fighting on two fronts."

He added, "The people of Assam, and the people of North East in general, have blessed me and showered a lot of affection when I was Prime Minister and later too. They will be in my prayers. After the pandemic abates, god-willing, I will visit the state."

More than 4 lakh people affected

Five more persons died in flood-related incidents in Assam and around 40 lakh people in 27 of the state's 33 districts are affected, an official bulletin said on Thursday. Two persons lost their lives in Morigaon district, while one person each died in Lakhimpur, Barpeta and Goalpara districts.

Floodwaters entered vast areas of one new district, affecting over 4 lakh more people since Wednesday, according to the daily bulletin of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). The total number of people losing their lives in this year's flood and landslides in the state has gone up to 97 across the state. While 71 people died in flood-related incidents, 26 were killed in landslides.

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'We are leaving no stone unturned'

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday visited the flood relief camp at Rising Sun School, Kohora near Kaziranga. While interacting with the people at the relief camp the Chief Minister asserted that his government is leaving no stone unturned in safeguarding the lives of its people and the animals affected during the floods. Earlier, Sonowal had visited a flood relief camp at Teok.

 Apart from putting human lives in danger, the annual floods have so far claimed 76 wild animals including five one-horned Rhinoceros. With a vast portion of the Kaziranga National Park inundated by the floodwaters of Brahmaputra, 82 forest camps are still underwater out of 155 that exist in the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division. According to officials, six camps have been vacated following heavy floods.

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(With agency inputs)