Monday, 23 December 2024
Monday, 23 December 2024
Assam floods
Assam's flood situation remained critical on Tuesday with over 6.71 lakh people affected in 20 districts in the second wave of flooding this year, as the Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued 13 stranded fishermen from the severely-hit Dibrugarh district, an official said. The death toll has risen to 35 due to the severe flooding and landslides. Major rivers like the Brahmaputra, Kopili, and Barak are flowing above the danger mark. The worst-hit districts include Nagaon, with nearly 3.46 lakh people affected, followed by Cachar and Hojai. Relief efforts are underway, with over 41,000 displaced individuals taking shelter in 187 relief camps. Vast areas of the Kaziranga National Park and Dibrugarh district have been submerged. Traffic on NH715 has been restricted to protect animals crossing the road in the flooded Kaziranga area. The floods are attributed to heavy rains in Arunachal Pradesh, which is also experiencing severe flooding.
Arunachal landslides
Last week, heavy rains caused significant landslides in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly affecting the districts of Leparada, Siang, and Lower Siang. The landslides have blocked key roads, including the Likabali-Basar-Aalo-Mechuka and Likabali-Basar-Daporijo routes, disrupting transportation and stranding numerous vehicles. In West Kameng district, landslides at over 20 locations along the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road have severely impacted traffic movement. The authorities are working to clear the debris, but the ongoing rainfall is complicating relief efforts. Residents in affected areas are urged to relocate to safer locations as officials monitor the situation.
Manipur flood alert
Manipur is facing severe flooding following heavy rains. The Imphal West district administration has requested people staying near the river to stay alert for possible breach of river banks or embankments in the wake of rising river water levels due to heavy rainfall, an official told PTI on Tuesday. A notification issued by the Office of District Magistrate Imphal West on Monday night said, "Major rivers in the district have reached warning level in the Imphal area... Catchment areas of Imphal and Nambul river are reported to be receiving continuous rainfall.” The IMD, it said, has warned of "heavy to very heavy rainfall activity in Manipur for the next five days”.
Mizoram landslides
Heavy rainfall has affected several parts of Mizoram since Monday, causing significant damage across the state. At least three people, including a four-year-old girl, were feared dead after a landslide struck and partially buried their tin-roofed concrete building on the outskirts of the state capital Aizawl on Tuesday, PTI reported. Three buildings in Zuangtui area on the northern outskirts of Aizawl and one in Bawngkawn area were also swept away by massive landslides on Tuesday morning. On Sunday, the state disaster management and rehabilitation department had issued an alert in anticipation of heavy rainfall and storms.
Sikkim cutoff, Teesta flows over NH10
Sikkim – although not part of the Seven Sisters – and sub-Himalayan West Bengal have also been battered by rains. Landslides at multiple locations and the cave-in of a 100m-long stretch of NH10 triggered by heavy rain in Kalimpong district on Sunday halted traffic on the principal highway that connects Sikkim with the rest of the country. The Bengal public works department has asked transporters and daily commuters to take alternative routes to reach Siliguri from Kalimpong and Sikkim and vice versa. An official of the PWD on Monday said the earth under a 100m-long stretch of NH10 had eroded at View Point, which is between Swetijhora and Birikdara in Kalimpong district. A major portion of the road has slid into the Teesta, he said..
