Floods in India: Death toll in Assam and Bihar rises; water levels recede in West Bengal

Floods triggered due heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc in most states across India, especially Bihar, Assam, West Bengal and Odisha. A few states, like Arunachal Pradesh, also witnessed landslides resulting in deaths of several people.

The heavy downpour has left hundreds dead and lakhs affected across the country. People have been forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in rescue camps set up by the respective state governments. Property worth crores of rupees have also been damaged in the floods.

The situation remained grim in Bihar and Assam while West Bengal witnessed a slight improvement.

Death toll rises to 72 in Bihar

The death toll in Bihar has risen to 72 and is still expected to rise. Around 69.81 lakh people have been affected due to the floods even as major rivers breach embankments and continue to flow above the danger level in 13 districts of the state.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas on Tuesday and Wednesday and said that flood waters have inundated 98 blocks and 1,070 panchayats across Bihar. The government has assured that it would leave no stone unturned to provide relief and rehabilitation to those affected. There has been a major loss of property as well.

Anirudh Kumar, the special secretary in the State Disaster Management Department, was quoted by PTI as saying that 1.61 lakh people have been evacuated and taken to safer locations with 85,949 of them being put up in 343 relief camps in different places across the state.

Rescue and relief operations are still underway. Community kitchens have also been set up in relief camps to provide food to the affected victims. Flood waters have also submerged railway tracks affecting train services in the state. Several trains were cancelled due to the floods.

The government has called in the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, 27 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 15 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams to assist in the rescue and relief operations. 

People living in low-lying areas have been moved to higher ground. Several roads and bridges have been severely damaged in the floods.

Floods in Assam claim 11 more lives

Eleven more deaths were reported in Assam taking the death toll to 39. Over 33 lakh people have been displaced in the second wave of floods that hit 25 districts of the state. The first wave of floods between April and July had claimed 84 lives and displaced lakhs of people.

The Indian Army has been called in to assist in the relief and rescue operations even as the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries continue to flow above the danger mark in several cities and towns of the state. Army personnel have been air-dropping food packets and other relief material in the flood-hit areas.

Flood waters have submerged and damaged roads, bridges, and embankments, railway tracks in the Katihar and Alipurduar divisions of Northeast Frontier Railway and other infrastructure. Surface communication has been snapped in several parts of the state. Around 1.83 lakh hectares of the crop have also been damaged with the floods having affected 1.8 lakh domestic animals.

The death toll due to floods in the state this year stands at 123 now, the Hindu reported. Dhemaji has been the worst-hit district in the state due to the floods. Flood waters have damaged National Highway 37 resulting in communication between upper and lower Assam getting snapped, PTI reported.

Most of the areas under Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Lawkhua Wildlife Sanctuary remain submerged forcing several animals, including rhinos and elephants, move to the highlands or other safer locations across the hills. Several animals have lost their lives in the floods.

The government has set up 315 relief camps across the state, which are currently providing shelter to 1.68 lakh people. The NDRF and the SDRF have deployed over 230 boats and rescued over 14,000 people, the ASDMA said in a report.

Situation improving in West Bengal

The situation seems to be improving in West Bengal with no heavy rain reported from across the state, except a few areas. Water levels of the major rivers, which were flowing above the danger level, have reduced to a certain extent and is expected to decrease further if there is no rainfall for the next two days.

Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar are the worst affected by the floods, which have engulfed several villages across the state. However, the authorities said that the situation was improving. At least seven people have died due to floods in north Bengal, according to Firstpost.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the government has been "monitoring the situation 24x7" and that rescue and relief operations are underway to evacuate people from the flood-hit areas.

Railway tracks have been submerged in flood waters resulting in several trains getting cancelled, diverted or short terminated.