Pre-monsoon floods hit Assam, over 40,000 affected

Guwahati: Over 40,000 people have been affected and 1,000 hectares of crop land inundated by flood waters following pre-monsoon rains for the past one week in Assam, officials said on Sunday. Four districts -- Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Sivsagar and Charaideo -- have been inundated by flood waters, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said, adding that 42,658 people were hit. The army, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force helped in rescue and relief operations to help the marooned people in Chairaideo. Chief Secretary V.K. Pipersenia reviewed the flood situation with officials in Guwahati and with all the deputy commissioners through video conferencing. He asked them to keep a close watch on the flood situation. Pipersenia also reviewed the preparedness of various departments and availability of medicines and essential drugs in the health and family welfare department. The chief secretary also directed the water resources department, the PWD (national highways division) and the National Highways Authority of India to jointly inspect the damaged NH-53 at Panchgram near Hailakandi in the Barak Valley. The Central Water Commission said the Burhidehing river in Khowang in Dibrugarh district and the Desang river in Sivasagar districts were flowing above the danger level. The Regional Meteorological Centre at Borjhar near Guwahati said the situation was likely to improve after Monday.