Guwahati: As the flood continues, the death toll in Assam has reached eight while more than 4 lakh people have been affected till Tuesday.
As per the latest Assam state disaster management authority (ASDMA), at least 403352 remained flood-affected while 39558 including 3749 children are lodged across 178 relief camps set up in the state.
The death toll reached eight with one new death being reported on Tuesday.
The latest death was reported in the Udalguri district while one person was reported missing in the Nagaon district.
A review meeting was held at Chief Secretary’s Conference Hall today for stocktaking of the current situation in Dima Hasao, Hojai, Cachar and other Barak Valley districts.
Pressing issues that have been discussed in the meeting were maintenance of supplies of essential food items to the affected districts, especially Dima Hasao, reopening of the National Highway connected to the affected districts, uninterrupted electricity supply and maintaining the communication network (voice & data).
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Addressing the present challenges, Chief Secretary of Assam, Jishnu Barua took several decisions.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) was requested to restore the road connectivity from Guwahati to Haflong with immediate effect so that supplies and other essential commodities can be sent to the Dima Hasao district.
Indian Air Force (IAF) was requested to airdrop the most essential supplies like rice, daal, and medicines to Dima Hasao district by tomorrow while 35 stranded railway employees and their families along with left out passengers at the New Haflong railway station would also be rescued with the help of IAF.
DC Dima Hasao will supply 200 litres of fuel to the BSNL Authority immediately at Duiyang Microwave Station for restoring the communication network.
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Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) will also use the services of drones/satellite data to ascertain the loss and damage data of the district.
The rescue operation of the stranded people and supply of relief materials has been started through 20 rubber boats with the help of SDRF and the Army in Hojai district.
DCs of Hojai, Karimganj and Cachar districts are instructed to have regular meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, Suppliers and merchants for the smooth maintenance of supplies.
However, connectivity remains an issue due to multiple landslides in the Guwahati-Silchar road via Meghalaya. DC, Cachar assured to resolve the issue of airfare hike with the help of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC).
So far, 4,03,352 populations in 26 districts have been affected in the last 24 hrs in the State. There are 89 relief camps and relief distribution centres set across the affected areas.
A total of 39,558 inmates are staying in these relief camps.