By Matters India Reporter
Guwahati, May 18, 2022: Nine people have been killed and more than 660,000 people affected by floods in Assam’s 27 districts.
More than 48,000 people have been shifted to 248 relief camps. More than 100,000 people have been affected in Hojai and Cachar, the worst-hit districts.
The army has rescued more than 2,000 people trapped in Hojai district.
Dima Hasao district in southern Assam remained cut off for the fifth day on May 18. Landslides have cut off road and rail links to the district.
Floods have snapped road and rail connectivity to the Barak Valley as well as vital parts of Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur since May 15
.
The Assam government has announced 400,000 rupees as financial aid to the families of those who died.
Torrential rain hit the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh for the past two days.
The met office in Guwahati has warned widespread rain across the region over the next four days.
Federal Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Assam of all assistance from the Central government.
The state has been struggling to maintain the supply of essential commodities in the flood-hit areas and restore communication channels.
Floods are an annual occurrence in the state of Assam and each year it wreaks havoc. But since it is an annual phenomenon and something which is not a surprise, there must be some scientific ways and means to buttress the menace. How much of it is natural and how much is man-made namely unplanned construction on or around the river’s natural path and deforestation in hilly regions?
According to information published by the government of Assam, 31.05 lakh Hectares area is flood prone in the state against the total area of 78.523 lakh Hectares. It is 39.58 per cent of the state and about 9.40 per cent of the entire country.
The link below may hold some long-term solutions to the perennial sorrow of Assam:
https://www.firstpost.com/india/assam-floods-why-does-the-state-face-a-deluge-every-year-10684661.html#:~:text=Moreover%2C%20the%20flood%20situation%20is,time%20there%20is%20a%20flood.