Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya reported nine more deaths due to flood and landslide on Saturday as the flood situation remained grim and the weather department forecasted heavy rains till Monday.
The Brahmaputra and six other rivers were flowing above danger level at various places in Assam as army and other rescue agencies carried out operations to evacuate the flood-hit people.
Roads, bridges and embankments have been damaged by the flood at several places and railways cancelled and rescheduled several trains due to damage caused to tracks under Rangiya and Lumding divisions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at 6am on Saturday and took stock of the situation. Sarma said the PM assured him all necessary help from the Centre to tackle flood situation and restoration work.
The Central Water Commission said that the Brahmaputra was flowing above danger level at Neamatighat, Tezpur and Dhubri. Six other rivers: Beki, Manas, Pagladiya, Puthimari, Kopili and Jia Bharali were also flowing above the danger level at several places in western and North Assam.
The situation was more serious in western Assam districts like Barpeta where over seven lakh people remained affected followed by Bajali, Nalbari, Baksa and Nagaon districts.
In Assam, two deaths each were reported from Barpeta and Karimganj districts while one death each was reported from Nalbari, Sonitpur, Hailakandi and Darrang districts. One more death was reported from Meghalaya on Saturday taking the death toll to 27.
An army statement said that over 3,000 people were evacuated from Hojai, Nalbari, Baksa, Barpeta, Darrang, Tamulpur and Kamrup district and the same would continue on Sunday.
With eight deaths on Saturday, the number of casualties due to flood and landslides in Assam till June 14 increased to 26. This took the death toll in floods in Assam since May to 62.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who visited relief camps in Darrang and Kamrup districts on Saturday said that personnel of National Disaster Response Force, state disaster response force and army are helping in rescue operations. "Both army and the Indian Air Force have told me that they are ready to help us," he said.