Relief work continues as Assam flood situation remains grim

While the flood situation in Assam continues to be grim, Christian relief bodies are working tirelessly to offer aid and rescue marooned persons.

World vision, Caritas and Churches Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) are some of those engaged in relief and rescue operations.

Assam is facing one of the worst floods since 1998. Over 100 people have been reported dead in several districts of the state.

Though the water has started receding swiftly in many parts of Assam, villages along the river Brahmaputra are still under water, reports World Vision India.

"Children, women and men have to walk through knee deep water to reach their houses. Most of the flooding in the villages along the Brahmaputra is primarily because of embankments that have broken. The floods have caused 42 breaches in embankments along the river," the development agency informed.

The roads that lead to several villages have also been washed away by the floods, compounding relief operations. The floods have damaged as many as 2200 roads in Assam.

"The surge of water in the Brahmaputra River washed out a number of villages, damaging crops and drowning valuable livestock. The flood waters have also contaminated local water sources, leaving children and families without adequate water to drink," says Kunal Shah of World Vision in India.

Joining relief efforts, CASA past week rushed emergency relief kits to 2,000 families in two of the worst-hit districts in the state.

CASA is focusing on relief work in Barapata and Sonitpur districts. More than 60 volunteers, trained in disaster management, are offering assistance to the victims.

Catholic NGO Caritas India also has a team working in the worst affected districts.

"The focus of our intervention will be in Sonitpur district, Sootea Block in Naduar Circle. To begin with, 2 medical camps have been conducted on July 4. Caritas India has a team of 3 doctors, 8 nurses from Catholic Hospital Borgang and 12 volunteers of Tezpur Social Service Society, who are providing victims with curative medicines, antiseptic soaps, antiseptic lotions and nutritional biscuits," Caritas informed.

The NGO has also been in touch with the project officer of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) for Sonitpur to obtain details of villages and households damaged as a result of the flood.

Nearly five lakh people have been hit by the first wave of floods this year. The worst affected districts include Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sibsagar, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Kamrup, Nalbari, Barpeta and Dhubri.

Caritas observed that flood waters remaining stagnant and the non-availability of boats has made mobility to interior villages completely difficult.

"Paddy fields, household assets are heavily damaged due to floods. With water receding gradually, dead carcass could be seen floating, increasing the vulnerability of people to numerable diseases," Caritas reported.

The surging water that breached river embankments has left the agricultural sector the worst hit.

Similarly shocking is the news that nearly 600 animals have perished in the Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site.