Guwahati: The devastating flood has exposed the ineffectiveness of the state machinery, resulting in angry protest at various places in flood-hit districts of Assam.
If angry flood victims were seen questioning the deputy commissioner in front of camera in the worst affected Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, an angry Bodo woman was caught on camera trying to assault a ruling party legislator, accusing him of disappearing at the time of their hardships.
The death toll in the ongoing wave of flood in the state on Wednesday climbed to 45 as five more people, including two children and a woman, were drowned at different places while nearly 16 lakh people remain affected as the surging water of Brahmaputra river and its tributaries have brought 23 districts under water since Monday.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday flew to his constituency — Majuli river island — to take stock of the situation. The world’s largest inhabited river island situated at the confluence of Brahmaputra and Subansiri rivers in upper Assam is reeling in severe flood and erosion. More than 33,000 islanders have hit by incessant rains. The island is also the seat of Vasihnavite culture of Assam.
From Majuli, Mr Sonowal went to Kaziranga National Park to review the situation. The 430 sq km park, which is the home to the Indian one horn rhinoceros, has been completely inundated by Brahmaputra river. The park lost two rhinos in the floods on Tuesday.
The disaster management authority stated that Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger level marks along its entire length of over 555 km at Dibrugarh in the east, Nematighat, Tezpur, Goalpara and Dhubri on the western end of the state. The floodwaters have also damaged a crop area of 1,40,83.42 hectares.
The state authorities are running 208 relief camps and distribution centres in 16 districts, where 48,483 people are currently taking shelter. Across the state, 8,82,315 animals and poultry have also been affected by the floodwaters.
