Assam: Flood preparedness underway at Pobitora Sanctuary with temporary camps, health support, and rescue operations

Morigaon (Assam) [India], June 1 (ANI): In view of the upcoming flood threat during the monsoon season, authorities at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary have begun implementing precautionary measures to safeguard both wildlife and frontline personnel. On Sunday, Ranger Pranjal Baruah informed that camps in low-lying and flood-prone areas are being shifted as part of the sanctuary's flood preparedness plan.
Speaking to ANI, Baruah said, "We are preparing for the flood situation...We will be shifting the camps, which are very vulnerable to floods...We will organise a health camp for the field staff...An emergency response team will carry out all the rescue operations. We will do a post-disaster assessment also...We are also planning to set up temporary camps in the strategic locations around the Wildlife Sanctuary..."
Water levels in the Brahmaputra River remained high on Sundays in the Dibrugarh district of Assam following incessant rainfall in several parts of the state and neighbouring regions.
The sustained downpour led to flooding in low-lying areas, submerging homes and fields across vulnerable pockets of the district.
Meanwhile, in Guwahati, severe waterlogging was witnessed in several areas on Sunday after continuous spells of rainfall lashed the city.
Earlier, eight people have died due to floods and landslides in Assam, according to officials.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report on May 31, three people died in floods and five died due to landslides. "Two people, including a child, died due to the flood in Golaghat district, while one person drowned in flood waters in Lakhimpur district," ASDMA said on Saturday.
Five people lost their lives and two others were injured due to landslides in the Kamrup (Metro) district.
Following incessant and heavy rainfall in Assam and neighbouring states, 175 villages under 20 revenue circles in 12 districts of the state--Dhemaji, South Salmara, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Darrang, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Kamrup, Biswanath, Tinsukia, Karbi Anglong West--were affected in the first spell of floods in the state.
The ASDMA flood report stated that 58091 people in 12 districts were affected by the first spell of floods, and 791.32 hectares of cropland were submerged by flood waters. Nearly 7000 flood-affected people are sheltering in relief camps and distribution centres set by the district administration.
The district administration has set up 16 relief camps and distribution centres in the flood-hit areas. The flood waters washed away 194 animals. 75918 animals have been affected in the flood-hit districts. (ANI)