Flood, landslides hit Assam; 13,000 affected

Guwahati: At least 13,000 people in Assam have been affected by flood, officials said on Sunday. Also, landslides triggered by incessant rain disrupted rail connectivity to the state's Barak Valley region.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority officials said at least 13,000 people have been affected due to the year's first wave of floods in 28 villages in Lakhimpur, Jorhat and Biswanath districts, in the past 24 hours.

Besides, landslides in the hilly Dima Hasao district snapped rail link to Barak Valley. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) had to cancel a passenger train to Silchar from Lumding on Saturday after landslides affected the hill section. 

The water level in Brahmaputra river has indicated an increasing trend and is flowing above the danger level in Nimatighat, prompting the officials to suspend ferry services to the island district of Majuli from Jorhat.

Ferry services have been suspended in some other stretches as well due to the increasing water level in Brahmaputra river.

The Assam government has already instructed the officials in flood-prone districts to arrange relief and rescue materials in case of emergency situations.

The army, along with the civil administration, also carried out a joint exercise on flood rescue titled "Megh Rahat" in Dharamtul area in Morigaon district. 

The exercise aimed to ensure collective mutual benefit of all participants, who ranged from the army and State Disaster Rescue Force (SDRF) personnel to local population including school children.