Assam: Brahmaputra crosses danger mark; flood situation grim

GUWAHATI: The flood situation in Assam continues to be grim with Brahmaputra crossing the danger mark in Guwahati and Jorhat and its tributaries maintaining a rising trend elsewhere on Wednesday.

On the northern side, Subansiri crossed the danger-level and is still rising. But in Kamrup district, Puthimari is showing a falling trend, though still flowing above the danger mark. The situation in Nalbari is serious with Mora Pagaladiya river threatening to breach embankments.

In upper Assam, incessant rains since Tuesday night raised the water level of Brahmaputra and its tributaries in Dibrugarh district. With the river inching closer to the ‘H’ flood-level (highest level), the situation has worsened. The flood control department in Dibrugarh recorded 88.4 mm of rainfall at 6 am on Wednesday.

People are worried as floodwaters continue to threaten embankments at Notunbolai, Panimiri and Bamunbill areas along Dehing River in Dibrugarh district.

A breach would wreak havoc in upper Assam as it will inundate over 100 villages and damage crops. Gobin Kalita, executive engineer of flood control department (Dibrugarh) said, ‘‘Incessant rainfall has caused a continuous rise in the water levels of Dehing and Brahmaputra rivers and large-scale erosion in this area affecting the embankments.’’

In another development, 7,737 hectares of farmland in Dibrugarh also come under floodwaters. Ashutosh Agnihotri, deputy commissioner (Dibrugarh) said, ‘‘Most of the land under water is in Larwa under Moran constituency with some part in Tenghakhat damaging the crops.’’