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Home , Bongaigaon district, Dhubri district, Goalpara, Hailakandi district, Jorhat, Kamrup district

SITUATION REPORT - FLOODS

NATURE OF HAZARD : FLOODS DATE: 03.08.04 at 9.30 AM

Heavy floods in Assam have affected all the 27 of the state. These districts are , , Shivsagar, , , Nagoan, Morigaon, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Darrang, Sonitpur, , Lakhimpur, , Berpetta, , Kokrajhar, , , Chirang, Karbi Anglong, , Hailakhandi, Cachar, Udalguri, North Cachar Hills and Baska.

Heavy rainfall over the state and in neighboring uphill states and countries for a sustained period since the last week of June has resulted in the rise of water level in the whole river network – Brahmaputra and it’s tributaries in the state. Large no. of villages got submerged with the overflowing of these rivers.The worst affected districts during the current flood are , Cachar, Dhemaji, Dhubari, Goalpara, Kamrup ( rural), Morigaon, , Nalbari, Sonitpur, Udalguri.

The rise in the water level, breaches along the river & dam embankments, release of water from upper catchment areas (), landslides and sudden change of course by rivers, aggravated and deteriorated overall flood situation of the state. The flood has also caused widespread damages to human life, property, standing crops, flood control embankments, gardens and other basic infrastructure in the state. Most of the wild life sanctuaries - , National Parks of Manas, Orang and Dibru-Saikhowa, and Wild Life Sanctuaries Burha Chapori, Pobitora, Laokhowa and Bornodi were affected under the grip of the flood.

CURRENT SITUATION :

Overall flood situation of the state is improving with the receding of the rivers and less rainfall over the state and adjoining areas in the past few days and there has been no fresh damages reported except the increase in the death toll. A total of 240 people have so far been killed in flood related accidents in the state. Situation in the worst affected districts i.e. Karimganj, Morigaon, Cachar, Nagaon and Goalpara is improving very marginally and situation in the low laying areas of Golaghat and Jorhat remains grim with fresh rains over theses places. Army, Air Force and specialist Search and Rescue (SAR) team of Central Institute of Security Forces (CISF) are carrying out relief operations. Extra nos. of army columns have been deployed at vulnerable points as a preparedness measure to meet any emergency.

Water logging has posed a great threat in the low laying areas and has made life miserable. Shelter camps are still operational in all the districts except Nalbari, Morigaon, N.Lakhimpur, Shivsagar, Udalguri, and North Cachar Hills as water has not receded at all the places . People have started moving to their houses, with the receding of the waters in some areas and there is a likely chance of further decrease in the relief camps in coming days.

Transportation of essential commodities has been affected due to damages to the roads in the state. With the non availability of pure drinking water, waterborne diseases have gained momentum and cases like diarrhea, & dysentery and fever cases are on increase. Of the deaths reported so far, 23 people have died of Diarrhea.

DAMAGE DETAILS:

Area Flood Crops Area TOTAL LOSS OF LIFE : 240 Population Villages Relief Camps and Houses No. of Cattle Affected Damaged Affected Affected Inmates Damaged lost (in hectares) (in hectares) Due to Due to Due to Due to Boat Drowning Land slide Diarrhoea Capsize Bongaigaon 59726.00 417496 473 27 12165 39687.00 29199 6 16 Barpeta 253150.00 1190530 831 136 115972 106204.00 28806 28 20 278 Cachar 282950.00 1040000 540 195 67105 63924.00 60223 10 580 Chirang 26910.00 275800 256 13 2810 1541.06 4334 7 16 Dibrugarh 9260.00 184184 134 12 2000 6054.00 247 17932 Dhemaji 74302.00 307200 675 37 9450 54220.00 1859 2 99 Dhubari 164781.20 1523500 1016 82 121000 12786.00 10801 7 476 Darrang 568496.00 481477 388 15 3972 314873.00 8958 10 65 Goalpara 72965.00 544826 505 17 18700 33896.00 5340 4 5640 Golaghat 42763.00 106153 101 0 0 62500.00 950 1 29 87250.00 125800 205 0 0 10100.00 4100 3 1 17 Jorhat 108700.00 216000 208 0 0 17300.00 698 49 Karimganj 121963.00 618875 703 149 67500 19124.00 18893 6 108 Kamrup (Rural) 239682.00 1342496 708 145 197307 61451.00 230161 15 55 Kamrup (Metro) 9314.30 87850 70 9 2060 3571.43 9870 10 14 2 5 Kokrajhar 73953.00 74135 127 0 0 58973.00 9760 5 50 Karbi Anglong 13131.33 66956 128 11 5155 9774.00 1468 1 0 Lakhimpur 104193.71 343545 460 0 0 31341.00 515 9 609 Morigaon 102916.26 715032 598 0 0 56973.48 46924 19 20 537 Nagaon 241200.00 1501242 890 98 110000 112801.00 64950 15 50 Nalbari 112850.00 450495 609 0 0 62264.00 10000 17 176 N C Hills 0 70120 53 0 0 205.20 824 0 Tinsukia 28500.00 60000 116 1 123 8400.00 2000 1000 Sonitpur 23685.00 247378 272 17 600 14821.00 1078 7 229 Sivsagar 6120.00 63000 105 0 0 2100.00 50 0 Udalguri 13517.21 119879 254 0 0 80596.00 4273 1 0

1245480.1 2842279.01 12173969 10425 964 735919 556281 28016 TOTAL 7 177 14 23 26

• Agriculture sector: 12, 00,000 farm families have been badly affected. The major kharif crop, Bao Ahu and Sali paddy (winter rice) and other crops have been affected in about 1.1 million hectares and crop damage to the extent of 60percent and above has been assessed. Name of Crop Area affected Extent of Area damaged (Hectares) Damage (%) (Hectares) 1. Regular Ahu 1,48,500 80 1,18,800 2. Winter rice (Bao + Sali) 2,75,781 80 2,20,625 3. Sali (Seedling) 74,335 80 59,468 4. Sugarcane 3,939 30 1,182 5. Jute 28,818 50 14,409 6. Others a. Summer vegetables. 31,394 80 25,115 b. Other minor crops. 36,533 50 18,267 Uncovered area (Winter rice) 5,00,000 - - TOTAL : 10,99,000 4,57,866

• Road Network : As per the Public Works Department reports - A total of 592 kms of National Highways and 3597 kms of State highways and rural roads have been damaged by the current wave of foods. 501 no. of bridges have also been damaged in total till date.

Status of the National Highways (NH):-

- NH -31 between Nalbari and Berpetta has been breached by 20 metres. A stretch of 81 kms between Abhayapur in to Chansari in Kamrup on this highway has been damaged. After the disruption of traffic through NH-31 on the South Bank, an alternative channel of road communication to the rest of were routed from through the NH-37 via Goalpara in the North Bank of the Brahmaputra.. - A stretch of 1 km on NH-37 in Tinsukia districts has been damaged. Flood waters of the Kopilli and Killing rivers have overtopped the NH at Palahguri and have thus disrupted the communication between Lower and Upper Assam. Significantly this is the only link between the State’s northern part and rest of the country. Traffic movement on the NH in Nagaon Division and Dibrugarh division has been closed. - NH-39 connecting Guwahati -Imphal has been cutoff due to landslides at three places. - NH-44 connecting Assam- Agartala () has been restored but it is still under water at several places. The road was cutoff due to a major landslide at Sonarpur in . About 300 meters of the highway had got blocked. Although the road was operational after clearing off the Debris at Sonarpur, but due to heavy rains, it has again been cut off due to it’s submergence at Badarpur in Assam. This is the only lifeline highway for entire , Tripura, and . On the same highway road communication from Karimganj to Guwahati via Jowai, was restored but due to over topping of flood water in Kalain area, vehicular movement has been suspended since 21st July. Presently there is no road communication to Guwahati from Karimganj. But road communication from Karimganj to has been restored. - NH-52 has been overtopped at Telijan point about two kilometers from Dhemaji town (Samarjan) since 19th July and in many other places in Dhemaji districts. - NH-53 Silchar-Imphal road has been disrupted due to overflowing of river Barak at several places. - NH-54 Extension road- the 184 km long road between Lumding-Silchar in North Cachar hills has been damaged at several places due to landslides. 8 nos. of culverts and three no. of bridges have also been damaged. - Extensive damage to NH -31B, 31C, 36, 37, 52A, 54 and 151 has submerged at various places. Traffic movement on NH-152 and 154 remains disrupted due to landslides at various points.

Status of the State Highways and Public Works Department (PWD) Roads:- - Road communication from Karimganj to Cachar and remains disrupted due to submergence of the highways since 19th July. - : The PWD roads from Bihupuria to Badati have been completely breached. - Berpetta: State PWD roads have submerged at several places and the PWD road connecting Berpetta town to NH-31 has been breached. A bridge on NH-31 has been washed away near . - Cachar : Badarpur-Jowai road remains disrupted - Jorhat :Road communication between Bongaon-Kamalabari- Garmur-Lower breached and badly affected - Baska : The main road to has been breached at 4 places. - Kamrup: PWD roads under Sonarpur and Charapur circle at bari, Panikheti, Lahapara remains disrupted. Bridges:- - The RCC Bridge no. 20/2 on Orang-Majbat-Rupa road in has been damaged. - RCC Bridge on NH-37 has developed cracks due to displacement of embankment. - The Ring Bundh at Futuri-Simina under Palashbari Revenue Circle in got breached by flood waters on 21/07/04 - • Railway Communication network: The torrential rains have damaged railway tracks on different stretches in the state and have hampered the railway transportation severely.

- Guwahati – Lumding rail track has been damaged severely. A stretch of 1.5 kilometres between Jamunamukh

Railway track washed out on the Guwahati- Lumding link and Jogijan has been damaged. Around 525 metres of the track is hanging as an embankment has been washed out. - Lumding –Badarpur (hill section) has been suspended due to landslides in the North Cachar Hills since 10-7-2004. - Trains in the Rangia-North Lakhimpur- section remain disrupted. - Rail traffic between upper Assam and Guwahati remains suspended for submergence of tracks in by river Kopili and Killing. - A section of meter gauge tracks between Rangiya-Bongaigaon remains submerged.

• Telecommunication network has also been affected and links to various rural exchanges remains disrupted. 33 telephone exchanges in the districts of Bongaigaon, Nagaon, Cachar and Jorhat have reported break down in services since 13 July 2004. • A total of 84 breaches on embankments have taken place this year, of which 24 major breaches have taken place during the month of July, 2004. • Vital installations, telephone lines, educational institutions and other electricity substations are badly damaged.

PROJECTED THREATS:

• People mostly depend on wells , tube wells for drinking water so as everything has been flooded and all the drinking water sources have got submerged, therefore people have no access to pure drinking water. So water borne diseases are likely to gain momentum in the affected villages. • As roads and rail transportation has been severely affected, and boat is the only means of transportation, so it will affect the restoration work as materials cannot be transported properly. With floods lasting for a longer period, unavailability of food materials in the interior areas might be a great threat. • Landslides at several places are hindering the transportation of relief materials to the marooned villages and remote areas. This may result in scarcity of food in many areas • Damages to the staple food crop cultivation might lead to food insecurity among marginal and poor farmers. • Waterborne diseases manifest with the receding of the flood waters so there are likely possibilities of outbreak of diseases in the affected villages. Similarly lack of proper hygiene in the relief camps may lead to outbreaks as well. Few isolated cases have been reported the health department. • As all the water sources- tube wells and open wells have got submerged, there is scarcity of drinking water in the affected villages. • Prolonged floods might damage the plants and shrubs. • Flood water carries large amount of silt, so fields have been covered with large deposits of sand. • Due to large scale inundation, there were damages to grazing land and corps, thus affecting indirectly to the livestock. • Due to inundation, there are very few storage points. The relief stock (food materials) is also getting damaged • A bridge on NH-37 at Rangjoli has become extremely weak. Most of the traffic is plying on this weak bridge, due to disruption on NH-31. Further damages to the bridge might disrupt the transport and relief operations through this highway. • Due to heavy inflow of water there has been tremendous pressure on the embankments. Erosion and seepage by the rivers is posing a threat to the villages on the banks of river Brahmaputra and it’s tributaries.

ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES:

CENTRAL LEVEL: • Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh made an aerial survey of affected district and reviewed the situation with Hon’ble Chief Minister and Senior officials of the State on 20th July. Earlier Union Minister for Water Resources had reviewed the flood situation in the state. • A 12 member Central Flood Damage Assessment Team headed by Joint. Secretary, Min. of Home Affairs, Govt. of India is currently assessing the flood situation in the state . This team has further divided itself into four sub teams. • Assistance by Army and Air-Force- 27 composite flood relief columns of Army is assisting the state Government in relief and rescue operations. Army Personnel during a rescue operation in Dharamtul Village 11 Air Force helicopters and 69 power boats are engaged for rescue of marooned people in Kamrup, Nalbari and other districts. Army speed boats are being utilized for rescue of the affected people. 2 composite flood relief columns are providing assistance in Nalbari; 4 composite flood relief columns in Kamrup; 1 composite flood relief column in Darrang; 4 composite flood relief column in Nagoan, 8 composite flood relief column in Goalpara, 1 composite flood relief column in Morigaon, 1 column in Berpetta, 2 columns in Guwahati and 4 columns in cachar(Silchar). A specialist Search and Rescue (SAR)Team of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) along with two boats and medical team have been deployed in Hajo of Kamrup and Barama of Nalbari districts • At the request of the state Government, the Central Government has made available helicopters at Guwahati, Tejpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Silchar. • The Central Govt. has released a sum of Rs.462.6 million from Calamity Relief Fund for the relief operations. An addition sum of Rs. 550 million has also been released from National Calamity Relief Contingency Fund (NCCF). • Ministry of Petroleum has already released 4, 00,000 liters of Kerosene Oil as additional allocation to the state of Assam. This has been sub-allocated to the districts and sub- divisions • The Ministry of Health has sent a central team to the flood affected areas of Assam to advise the State on the actions to be taken and prevent outbreak of epidemics. National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) and the Regional Directors for Health & Family Welfare at Patna and Guwahati are on high alert to check outbreak of any disease in it’s early stage. • An inter ministerial team has been constituted by , which would carry out damage assessment in Assam. • At the request of the Govt. of Assam to Govt. of India, a team of four Communication Specialists along with 4 satellite phones, eight Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) from Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) have been deployed in the affected areas. 22 HF and 44 VHF sets establishing communication network in the marooned areas. The team has 4 INMARSAT (Satellite) phones sets and 10 very high frequency sets with a connection radius of 10 Kms. The satellite phones have been installed at the Chief Secretary’s office, and the in the Deputy Commissioner (DC) office of Nalbari and Berpetta. The VHF sets have been equally deployed in the districts of Barpeta and Nalbari. A second batch comprising 6 members have also reached Guwahati. • Ministry of Defence has been requested by the Central Govt. to set up two bailley bridges as per the sites requested by the state government.

STATE LEVEL: • The Chief Minister has made an aerial survey of the flood situation. • The State Government has issued guidelines to all districts for taking up Search & Rescue and Relief measures in war footing. Senior officials have been assigned to carry forward the operation in a smoother way. Arrangements are on, for the procurement of food grains, medicines, bleaching powder, cattle fodder, water purifying tablets, ORS, boats and vehicles from neighboring states. • The State Govt. had requested the GOI for 5 million halogen tablets; 5 million ORS pouches; 500 MTs of DDT and 200 MTs of bleaching powder. • Rs. 500 million has been released from state funds for carrying out the flood relief & rehabilitation work in the state. • Gratuitous relief distributed: Rice: 3, 71,768 qtls, Dal: 32, 091 qtls, Salt: 12,164 qtls, Chira: 1,687 qtls and Gur: 483. qtls • Department of Food has been advised by the state government to expedite movement of stock to different states in North Eastern region. • The state government has requested the Railways for allotment of additional rakes of essential commodities, due to snapping of road communication at several places as well to reschedule some passenger trains and facilitates movements of the goods train. A relief camp on the road in • The government is monitoring the overall flood situation and coordinating with the neighboring states. • Additional amount has been sanctioned for distribution of relief materials like food stuff, drinking water, medicine, fodder, veterinary care to the cattle population. • All district administration has taken steps for relief and rescue operation in war footing. The officials of all line departments have been asked to assist the district administration in the relief and rescue operations. District Authorities have been asked to provide Nutritional support to children on need basis. • Health Measures: The health department has deployed 2,500 doctors for providing medical assistance to the flood victims in the affected areas. As maximum no. of water borne cases have been reported from Goalpara, 31 medical officers and 99 medical workers in 30 teams have been deployed in affected areas for extending preventive and curative measures. In Berpetta as well, medical teams are visiting the affected areas regularly. As a part of the health measure, Public Health Engineering Department is distributing water purifying chemical packets, bleaching powder packets for disinfection of water sources like tube wells, ring wells, ponds. Installation and repair of tube well are being carried out. • NGO Coordination and Flood Review:

* A coordination meeting of the NGOs and INGOs was convened by UNICEF on 22nd July. The discussion mainly focused on sectoral damages & losses caused by the current floods, health services in the relief camps, availability of human and cattle medicines & vaccines and the possible short and long term flood management plans.

* A state level NGO coordination meeting was convened on 26th July under the chairmanship of the Relief Commissioner at Guwahati city, Assam. This meeting was basically a forum for information sharing. Health, sanitation and relief related issues and contributions by each of the non governmental agencies were also shared.

ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE:

• Govt. of India-UNDP, DRM programme staff based at district and state head quarters is assisting the state and district administration in coordination of the relief operations. • UNICEF has supported the Government of by supplying 50,000 kgs. of bleaching powder, 300,000 Oral Dehydration Salt sachets and 400,000 halogen tablets for distribution to the flood-affected communities through ongoing programmes. The Government of Bihar requested UNICEF to provide tarpaulin sheets and discussions with officials in Government of India clarified that adequate quantities of tarpaulin sheets are being procured from Gujarat and are being provided to the Government of Bihar. UNICEF is interacting with the Relief Commissioner, Government of Bihar and with the nodal officers of various field departments. UNICEF is monitoring the situation very closely and has offered its support to assist the Government of Bihar to ensure the reduction of vulnerability among women and children affected by the floods. In addition UNICEF has enrooted 3,500 HDPE sheets by road from Gujarat to Patna. It is to be delivered to the State Government of Bihar as per request of the Government. An additional 300,000 nos. of oral dehydration salt sachets and 2,000 bags of bleaching powder will also be supported. These materials are in the process of procurement. They have also carried out a rapid assessment in Muzaffarpur district for 2 days – 27&28th July. • OXFAM has supported the flood victims with 6000 Dry Food Packets in Madhubani District of Bihar. OXFAM has conducted a rapid assessment in flood affected areas of Bihar and is supporting 10,000 family kits (that includes shelter material, hygiene packages and food) to the flood affected victims as immediate relief response. • Indian Red Cross Society has distributed 155 pieces of polythene and 500 packets of Chura and Gur in Aurai block of Muzaffarpur district. The National disaster Response team of the Indian Red Cross Society is to undertake preliminary assessment in Bihar • A volunteer from Mumbai Amateur Radio Society established a Ham Radio System in Sitamarhi and they are able to communicate with Patna CS office. • CARE-India has supported 5000 Shelter material, 0.5 million halogen tablets and 25,000 nos. of ORS sachets. • EFICOR is providing assistance to flood affected people in Madhubani, Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi Districts. It as mainly supporting with water and sanitation facility. Medical assistance through EHA has already been provided in East Champaran District. It has also distributed 1000 nos. of packed food packets in Katra block of Muzaffarpur district on 27th July. • CARITAS- India has initiated it’s relief activities in Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Begusarai, Khagaria, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, Vaishali and Muzaffarpur districts through a local partner Muzaffarpur Social Service Society and in the districts of Purnea, Katihar, Kisanganj though Purnea Social and educational Society. 3575 families have been supported with rice, pulses, jaggery and Tarpaulin sheets. • Christian Aid is providing assistance of dry rations, plastic sheets, clothing, blankets and sanitary articles in two districts of Bihar (W. Champaran and Sitamarhi). • World Vision India has supported Zeoline tablet / solution for water purification Food ( Rice, flat rice, Jiggery/ sugar, Gram power ) Tarpoline sheets for roofing to 5000 families in Muzaffarpur district.. • CASA has distributed dry food items, clothes, plastic sheets, household utensils and sanitation items in the affected villages of Sitamarhi and . Other non food materials supported are woolen blankets, Dhoti, Polybags, soaps, candles, and bandage. Food materials supported are rice, lentils and Mustard oil • ECHO has decided to fund NGO’s mainly to provide human assistance to the affected people • IFRC NDRT Members carried out an assessment in Bihar on 16-18 July and a report was submitted to NHQ. IRCS relief operation in the most affected areas. seeks to provide immediate assistance of 2,293,846 US $ or 1,988,000 Eur in the form of shelter, food, non-food items, hygiene and health services to 250,000 beneficiaries (50,000 families and people receiving health services)

CURRENT• be taken NEEDS: up shortly.

• Severe damages to the houses is a critical problem at present and displaced people need safe shelter houses, as the temporary shelters are not in sufficient nos. • Health care services in the ongoing shelter camps and centers. Post natal and neo-natal care ought to be taken up. • Trained personnels are required in the districts of Goalpara, Cachar and Morigaon for rescue operation. • The state PWD roads which have been damaged at different places need immediate bridging. • Bleaching powder and Phenyl required in large quantities in the affected districts. • Shivsagar district: Medicines, vaccines including veterinary vaccines are in short supply and the district administration has requested the state government for support. • Construction of Sanitation facilities to be provided in the affected areas. • The need to plan for long term rehabilitation actions based on sectoral needs in the affected districts. • Issues pertaining to vulnerable groups – women and children, provision of safe drinking water need to be addressed on priority • Need to carry out post flood disease surveillance assessment in the affected districts.

CHANNEL FOR DELIVERY & CONTACT DETAILS:

State Control Room: Relief Commissioner’s Office : 91-361-2230982 / 2268691 / 2264847 / 91-361– 2262898 (Telephone) 2268600 (Telephone) 2226480 (Fax) 91- 361 – 2261901(Fax) Sat phone : 7639445668

Satellite phone details : Chief Secretary’s Office:7639445664 Nalbari dist. Administration :7639445660 Barpeta dist. Administration 7639445672

Detail of Airport facilities available: There are six airports located at Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tejpur, Jorhat, Silchar & Lilabari in the state

SOURCE OF INFORMATION: • Relief Commissioners office • UNDP Assam Team • UNICEF • IFRC • Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) • Central Water Commission (CWC) • Media reports