9 more dead in Assam floods

32.94 lakh people have been affected across 28 districts

People shifting their paddy to a safer place after their village on the outskirts of Guwahati was inundated due to the floods on Sunday.

Nine people drowned in Assam on Saturday, taking the flood-related death tally to 59.

The flood situation continued to worsen, affecting 32.94 lakh people across 28 of the 33 districts.

Officials of the State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said nine people died across five districts — three of them in Dibrugarh — during the last 24 hours.

“So far, 59 people have lost their lives since the floods struck Assam on May 22 in two waves. Another 26 people lost their lives in rain-induced landslips during this period,” an ASDMA spokesperson said.

A person each was reported missing in Golaghat and Morigaon districts. Officials said efforts were on to trace them.

Crop on 1.28 lakh hectares affected

Among the affected people across 3,371 villages and localities, 44,108 people have taken shelter in 198 relief camps in 18 districts. An official estimate said crop on 1.28 lakh hectares has been affected.

“Heavy rainfall in adjoining Arunachal Pradesh is adding to Assam’s woes. The Brahmaputra and nine of its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark,” the spokesperson said.

Western Assam’s Barpeta continued to be the worst affected district with 5.5 lakh people moving to makeshift shelters on higher grounds followed by Dhubri (4.11 lakh), Morigaon (4.08 lakh), Goalpara (2.5 lakh) and South Salmara (2.25 lakh).