India – Over 4 Million Hit by Floods in North East

by in Asia, News

Torrential monsoon rainfall in north east India has caused flooding in several states, affecting over 4 million people, leaving thousands displaced and dozens dead.

Meanwhile the death toll has climbed steeply in neighbouring Nepal after torrential rain caused flooding and landslides from 12 July, 2019. As of 15 July, as many as 64 people had died, with 31 still missing, 32 injured and 3,186 families displaced across the country.

Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, India, conducts an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Bihar. Photo; Government of Bihar

Assam

This year’s monsoon flooding first began in Assam state in late June, but worsened from around 10 July when 207,100 across 11 districts were affected and 3 people died.

On 14 July Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that the situation has since worsened further, with the death toll rising to 11 and affecting nearly 2.6 million people across 28 districts out of a total of 33 districts in the state.

Over 16,500 people were displaced and staying in 320 relief camps, with 3,394 of them in Baksa district.

Rivers in the state were flowing above danger level in at least 14 locations, including the Barak River in Silchar district where it stood at 20.20 metres in Annapurna Ghat. Danger level here is 19.83 metres.

Bihar

Overflowing rivers have caused major flooding in the state of Bihar, north eastern India, from around 12 July, 2019.

Flooding has since affected around 1.8 million people in the districts of Sheohar, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, Madhubani, Araria, Kishanganj, Supaul, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur. Public broadcaster DD News said that at least 28 people are thought to have died.

Flooding began after a torrential rain in river catchment areas in parts of Bihar and also neighbouring Nepal.

India’s Central Water Commission (CWC) said that 360 mm of rain fell in Lalbegiaghat in 24 hours to 12 July and 320mm in Dhengbridge during the same period. The next day Sonebarsa recorded 250 mm of rain and Jainagar 230mm.

Water Resources Department in Bihar reported that the Mahananda, Kosi, Bagmati, Kamla and Gandak rivers were above the danger level in at least 12 locations across the state. The Kamala Balan river at Jhanjharpur in Madhubani district reached record levels. As of 14 July the river stood at 53.11 metres, well above danger mark (50 metres) and beating the previous record high set in 2004.

Thirteen teams of NDRF and SDRF have been deployed to carry out relief and rescue operations in the affected districts. Authorities have opened 152 relief camps sheltering 45,053 people.

Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of several districts on 14 July.

Uttar Pradesh

Meanwhile in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh at least 15 people have died and 113 buildings collapsed due to rain-related incidents since last week, according to the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation.

Teams from NDRF have been carrying out evacuations and relief operations in the state, in particular in Deoria district.

Tripura and Mizoram

Flooding is also affected thousands of people in the small states of Tripura and Mizoram, forcing thousands to leave their homes. The states border part of Bangladesh, which has also seen severe flooding over the last few days, with over 60,000 families in low-lying areas marooned. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society said that 14 deaths have been recorded in 7 districts of Bangladesh, namely Lalmonirhat (1), Netrokona (4), Nilphamari (1), Chattogram (1), Rangamati (4), Khagrachari (2), and Cox’s Bazar (1).

Tripura

In Tripura, over 12,000 people have taken shelter in 38 relief camps in Agartala, Jirania, Kalyanpur and Teliamura. One fatality was reported.

Military personnel from Tripura State Rifles, as well as National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and civil defence personnel have been deployed to carry out rescues and relief operations.

Mizoram

In Mizoram, the overflowing Khawthlangtuipui river has caused flooding in Lunglei district, displacing around 3,000 people and damaging 400 homes. At least 2 fatalities have been reported as a result of flooding in the state.

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