Torrential downpour, rising Brahmaputra wreak havoc in Assam

Dispur (Assam) [India], July 15 (ANI): Torrential downpour in the state of Assam continued to wreak havoc on Monday, causing the flooding on National Highway 37 and affecting 200 villages in Morigaon district alone due to the rising water levels of river Brahmaputra.
Large areas of Kaziranga National Park were submerged, and the animals from the sanctuary have been taken to highlands. Ferry services to Umananda Devaloi Temple, located at the Peacock Island in the middle of river Brahmaputra, were halted on Monday, leaving the priests and other people on the Island stranded.
The situation at National Highway 37 has disrupted the communication between the upper and lower districts of Assam. In addition, the forest department is fully alert on the highway in order to avoid any poaching chances by hunters. This highway starts from Sutarakandi near Karimganj in Assam and terminates at Bhali in Manipur.
An earlier report suggested that as many as 62 relief camps and 172 relief distribution centres have been set up for relief and rescue purposes for the people affected by the advent of floods.
"25 districts, 2217 villages and 14,06,711 people have been affected by the advent of floods in the state. Around 62 relief camps and 172 relief distribution centres have been set up for relief and rescue purpose," said Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Additional Chief Secretary, Assam Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
"Many villages have been flooded as the waters of Brahmaputra has flown into different areas of the district," said a local from Bhuragaon in Morigaon. "Water is continuously filling around our houses and the roads are blocked. Yet no government officials have come up to lend us support," he added.
The Assam flood situation was brought up in the Parliament today with Congress parliamentarian and Assam Congress Committee President Ripun Bora giving a Zero Hour Notice over flood situation in his home state. (ANI)