Landslides, floods kill eight in Assam; 90 per cent area of state reeling under water

Guwahati, June 19

Rain continues to batter Assam. As a result, almost ninety per cent area of the state reeling under flood water after pre-monsoon showers wreaked havoc last month only.

Landslides triggered by heavy showers have claimed the lives of three people, including two children, in the state while five others died due to floods. Deaths were reported from Barpeta, Darang, Hailakandi, Karimganj, and Sonitpur districts. Eight persons are also missing from five districts in the state.

In Hojai district, a boat carrying flood-affected people has capsized, leaving three children missing while 21 others have been rescued.

According to reports, a group of 24 villagers was moving to a safer place from inundated Islampur village late on Friday night when the boat hit submerged a brick kiln and capsized in the Raikota area of the district. Hojai Deputy Commissioner has said that "the search operations are underway to trace the three missing children." Meanwhile, 30,99,762 populations of 4,296 villages in 32 districts of the state have been affected by floods in the last 24 hours, reads the state disaster management authority's report.

A total of 1,56,365 residents have taken shelter in 514 relief camps.

IANS