20 dead, several injured in landslides as heavy rains lash Assam

As many as 20 people have reportedly died due to landslides in three southern districts of Assam today as incessant rains lashed the northeastern state in the wake of pre-monsoon floods.

At least seven people died in a landslide in Lakhipur area of Cachar district. Another seven persons lost their lives and at least nine were injured after a landslide in the Hailakandi district of Assam.

As many as six people died and 10 others were injured in Assam's Karimganj district, the fire department was quoted as saying news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, at least nine people died in the state till Monday in the current wave of pre-monsoon floods.

According to an official report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) the flood water still inundated the vast areas of 253 villages under Goalpara, Nagaon and Hojai districts. "During the past five days, nine people have died in different places of the three districts. Around two lakh people are still affected by the floods," an official of the ASDMA said on Monday.

The officials said that due to the pre-monsoon rain, heavy and incessant rain since early last week had initially flooded 321 villages in 11 of Assam's 33 districts affecting around three lakh people.

Goalpara, Hojai and Nagaon are the worst-hit districts.

A total crop area of 24,927 hectares in the three districts is submerged and embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructure have been damaged

The floods have affected 44,331 domestic animals and 9,350 poultry.

District administrations are running 27 relief camps in Goalpara and 18 in Hojai, where a total of 7,299 people have taken shelter, a bulletin issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.

Copyright: The Statesman/ Asia News Network (ANN)