Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, around three lakh people have been affected by pre-monsoon flood situation in 11 districts of Assam. Two more people have died taking the total death count in this first wave of floods to three.
Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that around 20,000 people are taking shelter at relief camps while other affected people decided to make their own arrangements. As per the state government’s data, floods in the state have affected 1,007 hectares of farming lands. To strengthen the human resources, Assam will deploy teachers of schools and colleges that are closed due to the lockdown for flood duties.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reviewed the flood situation in the state and instructed officials to ensure that all COVID-19 protocols including social distancing, hand washing, wearing of masks are followed at relief camps to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the flood season. He also directed all the Deputy Commissioners to sanitize the flood relief camps.
On Tuesday, The India Meteorological Department (IMD) circulated an alert of extremely heavy rainfall in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Several parts of Assam and neighbouring states have been receiving heavy rain because of super cyclone Amphan. According to figures from the Union health ministry the state has recorded over 850 coronavirus cases and four deaths so far.
