ASSAM: River water levels above danger mark
Rivers in Assam, including the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, are flowing above the danger level even though there are reports of flood waters receding in some areas.
“The situation will worsen if the rains hit back, which is expected in the middle of the week” says Mrinal Gohain, Assam regional manager of ActionAid.
The rivers have breached their dykes in more than 50 places inundating areas that are usually protected from the monsoon floods.
Five million people in the region are reported to be displaced from their homes .At least three million have taken refuge in emergency camps. The worst hit districts are North Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Barpeta, Baska, Morigaon and Nalbari.
Fear of water borne disease
Fears are growing that an outbreak of disease may strike. Assam’s chief minister Tarun Gogoi says:
"We are really worried about the outbreak of an epidemic in Assam now.”
ActionAid field workers concur, saying that safe drinking water for the people is the gravest concern and that this must be a priority for government action.
“We are distributing bleaching powder to the communities and training them in how to purify water for drinking,” says Manik Shah, part of ActionAid’s emergency response team in Assam.
ActionAid demands sustained efforts by the governments
Despite government relief efforts, the response falls short of the needs of the affected families.
“Government’s response to the floods is more of a knee jerk reaction. Relief is not in tune with the reality on the ground”, said Unnikrishnan PV, ActionAid emergencies advisor.
ActionAid assessment clearly shows gaps between the needs of the people and relief response.
“Quality of food being distributed in Dibrugarh and Nalbari districts is very poor while in Morigaon, safe water provision is totally inadequate with 3000 people sharing one tube well,” says Gohain. “In several locations flood affected families are still not receiving any relief.”
A control room for local and international organisations working in the area to share information and coordinate response has been set up in ActionAid’s Guwahati office.
