[Assam] Dhemaji flood scene critical, dyke breached (The Assam Tribune, 27.07.2007)

[Buljit Buragohain]

 Dhemaji flood scene critical, dyke breached
By A Staff Reporter
 GUWAHATI, July 26 – Overall flood situation in Dhemaji district turned critical today following yet another breach in the embankment of Jiadhol river last night and the problem complicated as the Bailey bridge constructed by the Army for connecting the district was also overtopped by flood waters last night. Official sources in Dhemaji told The Assam Tribune that floodwaters of Jiadhol river breached the embankment at Dehari Chapori village last night, which aggravated the situation. The district was already cut off following two breaches in the embankments of Kumotia river on July 12 and following yesterday’s breach, the number of people affected by floods in the district has gone up to more than 50,000. However, fortunately, the people had been alerted about the poor condition of the Jiadhol embankment before the breach occurred and there were no casualties.

Sources said that the district has been virtually turned into a cluster of islands following the breaches of the embankments all communication links between Dhemaji and the rest of the State have been cut off. The National Highway 52 has been breached by gushing floodwaters at four places and it will take some time before the road is repaired. Though the Army constructed a Bailey bridge on the alternative PWD road from Gogamukh to Dhemaji via Ghilamora to resume the road link to the district after a wooden bridge collapsed at Bordoibam, that too has been overtopped last night, thereby cutting off all kinds of communication to the district. The ferry services from Dibrugarh have also been suspended today after the rise in the water level of the Brahmaputra River, thus all kinds of communication to the district have been totally snapped.

Official sources said that the district has not yet faced scarcity of essential foodstuff as the Food Corporation of India maintained adequate stock, but the possibility of hoarding to create artificial scarcity cannot be ruled out and the district administration is maintaining a close watch on the situation. The district will, however, face shortage of petroleum products soon as it is impossible to move in oil tankers to Dhemaji under the present circumstances and even if the water level recedes, the wooden bridges on the PWD road from Gogamukh to Dhemaji would not be able to take the load of the tankers.

Alarming rise of the water level of the Brahmaputra is also causing serious concern. Though the embankments of the river are holding on till now and the E&D Department assured that those were in good shape, the District Administration is keeping its fingers crossed and a close watch is being maintained.

Sources said that the affected people are taking shelter in the temporary shelters and tarpaulin sheets have been provided. The district, known to be one of the most flood- prone in the State, does not have any speedboat and the administration has pressed 45 country boats into service for transporting relief materials and to transport medical teams to the affected places. Two Air Force helicopters were pressed into service when the first breach of embankment took place on July 12 to rescue marooned people, but that proved to be futile as there was no dry ground in the affected areas for the choppers to land. Now the rescue operations are carried out by country boats alone. However, the disaster management teams comprising local youths, who were trained up under a special programme of the UNDP, are turning out to be very useful in rescuing people from the worst hit areas. The administration has also installed around 50 hand tubewells near the temporary shelters to provide
 drinking water to the affected people.

Our Dibrugarh Staff Correspondent adds: More than sixteen villages under Joypur and Tingkhong block in the district have been faced with the fury of flood, emanating from the Disang and Buri Dehing rivers.

The entire paddy cultivated land of estimated twelve hundred farmers of Naharani, Nomati, Hamuktula, Jamuguri, Roghuguri, Merbandha, Bhatibeel, Ghooronia and Panibura under Joypur development block and Geladisang, Kodomoni, Sessabeel, Sessa Nepali, Dhaman, Kenduguri and Aghonibari village under Tingkhong development block have come under the floodwaters.

As the floodwaters indicate increase in most areas, it is expected to sweep more agricultural land in the adjacent villages. With the rising water level, the planted paddy seedlings have completely gone beneath, while most of them have been uprooted and carried away. The incessant rain in the region for full six-day has largely added to the calamity.

The swelling Disang river is said to have spilled over after making its way through the feeble embankment in between Hamuktula and Roghuguri village, while the dyke gave way for the Buri Dehing water in Dhaman.

  (The Assam Tribune,27.07.2007) 



       
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