GUWAHATI: As the flood situation in Assam remains grim, the state government is taking the help of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to rescue the affected people.The IAF rescued 13 fishermen from a sandbar of the Brahmaputra by using a helicopter on Tuesday. In another IAF operation, eight State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and a state government official were rescued from a sandbar in Dhemaji district.According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), personnel of the National Disaster Response Force were deployed in Cachar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Golaghat, Majuli and Lakhimpur districts. Altogether 614 SDRF personnel, including 159 deep divers, were deployed in 54 locations across the state.Meanwhile, with three more deaths, the toll rose to 38. The deaths were reported from Dhemaji (one) and Tinsukia (two).The ASDMA said 11,34,446 people in 2,208 villages of 28 of the state’s 35 districts were affected. The authorities set up 489 relief camps where 18, 459 of the marooned were taking shelter.Twelve major rivers – Brahmaputra, Subansiri, Burhidihing, Dikhou, Disang, Dhansiri, Jia-Bharali, Kopili, Puthimari, Beki, Kushiyara and Barak – were in a spate, flowing above the danger level at several places.The deluge damaged roads and bridges and breached river embankments at some places. It inundated the river island Majuli and the Kaziranga National Park. Altogether 176 of the park’s 233 camps were in the grip of the floods.Park authorities said four hog deer drowned while 24 other animals were rescued.Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday visited some affected areas of Bokakhat in Golaghat district and took stock of the situation. He also visited a relief camp.He said “Team Assam” was working round the clock to ensure timely relief and rehabilitation for the affected people.“The floods and breaches in embankments at some places have caused severe distress to the people. We are constantly monitoring the situation,” he said.
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