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Home , Cachar district, Dhubri district, Kamrup district, Karimganj district, Morigaon district, Rangiya

SITUATION REPORT - FLOODS

NAME OF THE DISASTER: FLOODS DATE: 27.07.04 at 7.00 PM

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

The worst affected districts Kamrup, Nalbari, Darrang, Dhubhri, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, , Morigaon and Lakhimpur and districts

Ariel view of flood affected village

(Cachar, Karimganj

The flood has caused widespread damages to human life, property, standing crops, flood control embankments, tea gardens and other basic infrastructure especially in the districts of Kamrup and Nalbari, Darrang, Sonitpur, Dhemaji and Lakhimpur. Rail & road communication has been totally disrupted at various places due to submergence of the railway tracks and the roads. The world famous Kaziranga National Park has also been affected badly by the floods. A number of animals have been reported killed. The National Parks of Manas, Orang and Dibru-Saikhowa along with Wild Life Sanctuaries Burha Chapori, Pobitora, Laokhowa and Bornodi have also been affected.

Incessant rain since the last week of June, 2004 through out the State of Assam and catchments areas of , , Nagaland and , has resulted in the rise water level of river Brahmaputra and its tributaries and thus caused floods in the state.

CURRENT SITUATION :

Overall flood situation in the state remains grim although most of the rivers have receded. Situation in the Barak valley districts (Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi) and Island remains very critical. Around 1, 26,600 hectares of Agricultural and Homestead land in densely populated areas have got inundated in Barak valley. As per the Central Water Commission (CWC) report released today, River Brahmaputra is still flowing above the danger level at Dibrugarh and Dhubri. Similarly river Dhansiri, Barak, and Kushiyara are flowing above the danger level at Golaghat, Cachar and . and it is also likely to recede as there was not much rainfall in the past 24 hours except at few places in Shivsagar (100.4 mm).

So far, 10,486 villages and a population more than 12.21 million have been affected by the current wave of floods. Total area under waters is 3.6 million hectares and due to silt deposit and standing water in the agricultural fields, 1.158 million hectares of crop area has been damaged. is the worst affected from among all the affected districts. About 90 percent of the district is still submerged and maximum death cases of 38 have been reported from this district alone. About 19 people were killed as a boat capsized in the killing river on 25th July. Similarly in another incident, about 14 people were killed due to landslide in city. The death toll in the current wave of floods have risen to 181 and millions of people have been rendered homeless as more than 0.47 million houses have been completely damaged and 0.4 million or more have been partially damaged. The state administration is running relief shelter camps (1650 nos.) and 1.6 million (approx) have taken shelter in these makeshift camps. At places people have taken shelter on their roof tops, highlands, embankments and on the bridges.

In several districts, Army, Air Force and a specialist Search and Rescue (SAR) team of Central Institute of Security Forces (CISF) are still carrying out relief and rescue operations in the marooned villages. Marooned People are being air lifted in the districts of Tinsukia and Cachar. Due to widespread damages to the transport infrastructure, interior area has been in accessible.

DAMAGE DETAILS:

Cropped No. of No. Area No. of Loss of House Population area Relief No. of of District affected village Human damaged affected affected camps/ inmates Cattle (Hectares) (Nos.) lives (F/P) (Hectares) Shelter lost Kamrup 225500.00 650 1342496 61451.00 107 252000 8 55 230161 Kamrup(M) 15326.00 70 87850 3571.43 9 2060 20 1100 Nalbari 112850.00 609 450495 62864.00 3 120000 12 10000 253150.00 831 1190500 106204.00 156 120000 25 21806 Morigaon 102916.00 598 715032 56973.00 64 38 127 38949.95 Darrang 548523.00 388 481477 318473.00 62 48743 8 10179 Sonitpur 23685.00 272 247378 14821.00 81 97070 7 1078 Goalpara 44967.00 505 544826 33896.00 73 94900 4 5640 967 Jorhat 108700.00 208 216000 17300.00 2 185 692 Dhubri 160735.00 1016 1523500 20988.00 82 121000 5 10801 N.Lakhimpur 104193.00 460 343545 31341.00 1 580 4 609 515 Hailakandi 87250.00 205 125800 10100.00 40 7900 4100 Karimganj 83366.00 687 595489 19124.00 129 297828 5 9682 Dhemaji 53162.00 675 307200 54220.00 73 15114 2 533 Bongaigaon 59726.00 473 458000 21200.00 104 102910 6 29199 Kokrajhar 73953.00 127 74135 58973.00 5 571 5 50 7885 Karbi- 12931.00 200 150000 6632.00 9 5155 1 1468 Anglong Chirang 25279.00 257 215800 199.86 22 3210 7 4334 Tinsukia 28500.00 116 60000 8400.00 8 1215 1000 2000 Dibrugarh 9260.00 134 184184 6054.00 28 6569 1910 Golaghat 42763.00 101 106253 62500.00 7 9000 2 950 Nagaon 211200.00 890 1501242 112801.00 387 85000 11 50 64950 Shivsagar 8710.00 105 63000 2100.00 50 Cachar 282950.00 540 1040000 63924.00 198 143201 10 15570 Udalguri 6255.00 254 119860 4120.00 1 4273 N.C.Hills 55 70120 205.20 (land slide & flood) Baska 60 Total 3685850.00 10486 12214182 1158435.49 1650 1534211 181 7531 473977

• 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 50percent and above has been assessed.

• Road Network : As per the Public Works Department reports - A total of 562 kms of National Highways and 3567 kms of State highways and rural roads have been damaged by the current wave of foods. 500 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 Guwahati through the NH-37 via Goalpara in the North Bank of the Brahmaputra. Road Communication on the NH has been restored at few places in . - 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- () has been restored but it is still under water at several places. The road was cutoff due to a major landslide at Sonarpur in Meghalaya. 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 Barak Valley, 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 area, vehicular movement has been suspended since 21st July. Presently there is no road communication to Guwahati from Karimganj. - 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 -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 Majuli breached and badly affected - Baska : The main road to Manas National Park 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 and Jogijan has been damaged. Around 525 metres of the track is hanging as an embankment has been washed out. Railway track washed out on the Guwahati- Lumding link - 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. • 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:

• As roads and rail transportation has been severely affected, and boat is the only means of transportation, • 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. 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 Army Personnel during a rescue operation in Dharamtul Village 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 distribution : Rice- 334309.04 quintals, Dal-29282.68 Quintals, Salt- 10786.41 quintals, Bread – 50,000 packets, Jaggery 120 Quintals, Biscuits 0.1 million packets and Chira- 665 Quintals • 1,650 nos. of relief camps and shelters have been opened in the affected districts and 15, 15,515 people have taken shelter in these camps. Special measures are being taken to prevent outbreak of epidemics in the affected areas. • 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 A relief camp on the road in Dhubri district 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. • 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. • A state level NGO coordination meeting was convened on 26th July under the chairmanship of the Relief Commissioner at Guwahati city, Assam. health, sanitation and relief related issues were discussed.

ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE:

• The Royal Danish Embassy has extended a support to the tune of Rs. 2.3 million through Tezpur Mahila Samiti-a local NGO, for carrying out relief operations in . • OXFAM has conducted a rapid assessment in flood affected areas of Assam and is supporting 8,500 family kits (that includes shelter material, hygiene packages and food) to the flood affected victims as immediate relief response. • Govt. of India-UNDP, NDRM 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 with 700,000 halogen tablets, 12 Metric Tonnes (MT) of Ferric Alum, 5 MT of bleaching powder and 5 MT of Lime, and 760,000 Oral Dehydration Salt sachets as a part of pre-positioning of supplies through on-going programmes. With a request from the State government additional quantity of 1 million halogen tablets and 500,000 Oral Dehydration Salts sachets has been, supplied. Another 1.89 million halogen tablets is en route to Guwahati by air and will be handed over to the Director of Health Services, in response to a request as a part of on-going programmes of UNICEF. 1.1 Million Oral Dehydration Salt sachets are in the process of procurement and they will be transported to Guwahati from Saturday (24 July) onwards in batches, in response to a request from the Government of Assam. An additional quantity of 9 MT of bleaching powder is also being procured for ensuring the provision of safe drinking water in flood-affected areas. Key supplies have reached the State though bleaching powder, additional halizone tablets and ORS are en route. UNICEF has initiated the formation of “WATSAN groups for relief support in flood shelters” in Assam in 10 districts • The Indian Red Cross Society, Assam branch has mobilized relief worth Rs. 0.5 Million till date consisting of 300 blankets, 200 mosquito nets, beaten rice, jaggery, milk powder, utensils, salt and pulses. In addition they have provided 500 family packets with clothing and basic utensils to the affected people. • Christian Aid –India through CASA has extended assistance of dry rations, plastic sheets, clothing, blankets and sanitary articles in 4 districts of Assam (Barpeta, Nalbari, Nagaon and Morigaon) • Caritas- India is carrying out relief activities in 1 Gram Panchayat of Dibrugarh, Shivsagar, Tinsukia and Jorhat districts through Seva Kendra, it’s partner NGO. Similarly it has started it’s intervention in Sonitpur, Darrang, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nagaon districts through a NGO- Tezpur-office for Social work. In Kamrup and Bongaigoan relief activities have been carried out with it’s partner NGO- Guwahati Gana Seva Society. An amount of Rs. 2.00 million has been extended for the relief activities in the above mentioned districts (food, Medical Assistance and shelter). • CASA has distributed dry food items, clothes, plastic sheets, household utensils and sanitation items in 125 villages from the district of Nalbari, Barpeta, Nagaon and Morigaon • A team comprising of 5 specialist and 40 national staff of MSF- Holland is working in Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon districts. They have made a preliminary assessment of the Medical needs, water and sanitation in the area and monitoring health situation in the relief camps and have extended medical services. They also have 4 basic medical eprep kits (each serving approx. 100 people for 1 week) • World Vision India has provided Rice, lentil, oil, and medical assistance to 6000 families and Tarpaulin to 3500 families in Dhemaji, Udalguri and Kamrup District of Assam. • Action Aid is presently intervening in the districts of Nalbari, Darrang, Dhemaji and Jorhat with the help local Community Based Organisations and local NGOs. Interventions include medical support, water purification agents and disinfectants, veterinary support and shelter materials. In Morigaon, Action Aid team has started working since 22nd July and is assisting local community partners in organizing safe sanitation and drinking water awareness camps. In Nalbari, a major intervention with the support of European Union Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) for the most vulnerable families among the affected will • Lutheran World Service (LWS) is supporting the flood affected victims with relief materials like- Polythene, Chira, Jaggery, halogen tablets in 2 Gram Panchayats (GP) of Hatsingmari Sub Division of Dhubri district. A relief camp is also being run in Ward No.10 under Dhubri Municipality Authority by LWS.

CURRENT• be taken NEEDS: up shortly.

• Trained personnels are required in the districts of Goalpara, Cachar and Morigaon for rescue operation. • The State Government has requested the Central Government to provide Satellite Phones, rubber boats, 6 Bailley bridges, food items, Medical aid (halogen and ORS tablets), 0.6 million polythene sheets, bleaching powder, tents and other essential items such as candles and matches. • The state PWD roads which have been damaged at different places need immediate bridging. • 2 nos. of NISA rescue teams are required in . • 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 quested the state government for support.

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 • Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) • Central Water Commission (CWC) • Maps of India • Media reports