Heavy rains cause floods in parts of Assam

Incessant rainfall for the past two days in the catchment areas of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries has inundated several villages in Upper and Lower Assam, even as eight persons were injured in a thunderstorm in Dhubri district.

The torrential downpour has overrun many villages, destroyed farm land and washed away livestock in several districts in Upper and Lower Assam, official sources said here today.

In Lower Assam's Dhubri district, eight persons were injured in a thunderstorm with five injured in South Salmara town and three others at Bilasipara following a severe storm in the district last night, the sources said.

The flood affected districts include Udalguri, Baksa, Dhemaji, Cachar and Dhubri.

In Udalguri district in Lower Assam, over 30 villages have remained inundated for the second consecutive day with road connectivity to its remote Bhergaon sub-division snapped yesterday yet to be restored.

The affected people have taken shelter in schools and on high grounds with the district administration providing relief.

Water level of some of Brahmaputra's tributaries such as Nonai, Suklai and Kala has risen alarmingly due to continuous rainfall, the sources said.

Flood water has also entered Tangla township in nearby Darrang district, while some parts of Baksa district which borders Bhutan have also been affected, the sources said.

In Upper Assam's Dhemaji district, flash floods by the Telijan river has created havoc in around 15 villages in Jonai sub-division with hundreds of hectares of farm land submerged under water.

In Barak Valley, rising water levels of Barak river has cut off the National Highway 53 for some time disrupting transport in the Guwahati-Silchar route.