Assam flood situation on Thursday remained unchanged though one more death was reported from Balijana revenue circle of Goalpara district, the worst affected district in the state. The first death was reported at Rongjuli in Goalpara on Wednesday.

Till Thursday, floods affected 2.94 lakh people of 300 villages in nine districts of the state of whom nearly 20,000 are taking shelter in 91 relief camps. A total of 21,572 hectares of croplands are submerged.

According to an ASDMA bulletin issued on Thursday evening, altogether 294,170 people of 15 revenue circles in Dhemaji, Nagaon, Hojai, Darrang, Nalbari, Goalpara, West Karbi Anglong, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts have been affected. Over two lakh people have been affected in Goalpara district where 17,928 people are currently put up in 56 relief camps.

The Brahmaputa is flowing above the danger level in Neematighat and the Kopili at Kampur in Nagaon district.

Altogether 492 people have been evacuated by the SDRF so far.

The ASDMA statement also said landslides were reported in Dima Hasao district where a house was completely damaged. Erosion was reported in Majuli, Sonitpur, Dibrugarh, Udalguri, Barpeta, Biswanath and South Salmara districts. Over one lakh animals were affected. Damages to roads and breaches in embankments were also reported.

Chief executive officer of the ASDMA, M.S. Manivannan, wrote to the deputy commissioners of all districts for engaging school and college teachers in relief work.

Nalbari deputy commissioner Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury, however, said the flood situation had considerably improved on Thursday. “This is just the first wave. Only one river has breached embankment. We are ready for subsequent waves,” Choudhury said.

High alert in city: The NDRF teams were put on high alert at Fancy Bazar and Uzan Bazar ghats of the Brahmaputra even as the water level continued to rise.

A senior 1st Battalion NDRF official said “Our teams at Fancy Bazar and Uzan Bazar have been put on high alert to cope with any emergency situation. Our personnel are already engaged in rescue operations in places such as Goalpara and Hojai.”

The water level of the Brahmaputra in the city was recorded at 48.83 metres at 4pm, according to a bulletin by the Central Water Commission (CWC) sent to the Inland Water Transport (IWT). The water level was 48.76 metres at 8am, crossing the warning level of 48.68 metres. It is rising closer to the danger level of 49.68 metres.

Towards evening, water submerged a part of Lachit Ghat. The two jetties constructed for the dignitaries to embark on a river cruise were completely submerged on Thursday evening.

The Kamrup (metro) administration issued an order on Thursday evening directing suspension of plying of all boats on the Brahmaputra “in view of the safety and security of the public” till Sunday evening “subject to the recession of the water level”.

Additional reporting by Ali Fauz Hassan