Assam: Floods kill six persons in last 24 hours; 20-month-old washed away by surging waters

GUWAHATI, June 17, 2018: Six persons, including a 20-month-old girl, died in floods in Assam in the past 24 hours.

The child, identified as Tashmina Siddique, was washed away by the surging waters of the Longai near Kurikhala Jame Masjid in Karimganj district on Saturday morning.

Muthoi Singha, 12, drowned in floodwaters at Lala revenue circle in Hailakandi district in the evening. SDRF personnel launched an operation to trace him. Two persons have died in Cachar district and one each in Hailakandi and Hojai.

Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam's Barak Valley continue to be cut-off from the rest of the country by rail for the third consecutive day on Saturday following landslides at seven places in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section.

According to Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), even with restoration work on a war footing, train services are unlikely to resume before Monday. The landslides were triggered by heavy rain.

"All long-distance trains to Silchar and Agartala have been controlled in Guwahati and Lumding railway stations," NFR spokesman Nripendra Bhattacharjee said.The divisional railway manager at Lumding is monitoring the restoration work, he said. The NFR is ran a special passenger train between Lumding and New Haflong on Saturday for the convenience of the people of Dima Hasao. "The passenger special will be run on Sunday also as other trains remain suspended beyond Lumding," Bhattacharjee said. The passenger special will make two trips a day.

Landslides have occurred at Mahur, Harangajao and Maibang in Dima Hasao, which claimed one life and damaged 114 houses so far.

The total number of people affected by floods has gone up to 4,25,373 on Saturday from 3,86,570 on Friday. The number of flood-hit villages has also increased from 668 on Friday to 716 on Saturday as new areas got submerged in floodwaters in Hojai, Cachar, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts.

The air force has pressed three Mi17 helicopters and airdropped 4.1 tonnes of food in Tripura on Friday while the Assam Rifles have made tremendous efforts to rescue those marooned.

TNT News with inputs from The Telegraph

Image Used: Reuters