Assam floods affect over 22,000 people; rail bridge collapses partially

Guwahati, June 29 (IANS) The first wave of floods in Assam has affected more than 22,000 people across six districts following incessant rainfall in the state and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Monday.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 22,124 people have been affected in Dhemaji, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Lakhimpur and Kokrajhar districts.

Dhemaji remains the worst-affected district, where 15,483 people are reeling under floodwaters after continuous rainfall inundated vast stretches of the area.

Officials said floodwaters have submerged 96 villages across the affected districts and damaged nearly 1,690 hectares of agricultural land, affecting standing crops and disrupting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.

The ASDMA flood bulletin stated that the Disang River in Sivasagar district is flowing above the danger level at Nanglamuraghat, triggering concerns over further inundation in low-lying areas if rainfall continues.

The floods have also impacted livestock, with 48,199 animals affected during the ongoing deluge, officials said.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall and erosion caused the partial collapse of a railway bridge over the Simen River in Dhemaji district, disrupting train movement in the region.

According to the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), more than 110 mm of rainfall in and around Dhemaji triggered severe flooding and riverbank erosion near the bridge.

As a precautionary measure, railway authorities suspended train services between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations until further notice. Railway officials said the bridge, originally built in 1965 and later converted to broad gauge, had remained structurally sound. However, continuous rainfall washed away a substantial portion of the riverbank, destabilising one of the bridge’s piers.

Authorities are closely monitoring the flood situation as rainfall continues across several parts of Assam and adjoining Arunachal Pradesh, while district administrations have been asked to remain on alert and take necessary precautionary measures to deal with any further deterioration in the situation.

–IANS

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