Assam flood: Three more dead, 5.35 lakh people affected, fresh areas inundated
Guwahati, Jun 2: Assam's flood situation continued to remain grim with three more fatalities reported and new areas inundated, although the number of affected people decreased marginally, an official bulletin said on Sunday.
Rivers remained in spate, while affected people took shelter in relief camps in different areas, it said.
An Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin said 5,35,246 people in 13 districts continued to remain affected by the flood.
The number of affected people was 6,01,642 in 10 districts on Saturday.
Two deaths were reported in Cachar and one in Nagaon, taking the toll in flood and storm since May 28 to 18.
Three major rivers – Kopili, Barak and Kushiyara – continued to flow above the danger level, the ASDMA bulletin said.
The worst-hit district was Nagaon where 3,03,567 people remained affected, followed by Cachar (1,09,798) and Hojai (86,382).
More than 39,000 displaced people were taking shelter in 193 relief camps in different districts. Another 82 relief distribution centres were also operational.
Rescue and relief operations were being carried out by multiple agencies, including NDRF, SDRF and local administration, while medical teams have also been deployed in the affected areas.
Damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges and other property, has been reported from different districts.
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Hospital wall collapse: CM orders suspension of executive engineer; kin of victims get solatium
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of an executive engineer for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital wall collapse that claimed the lives of seven people, during a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh, as announced by the CM Siddaramaiah, was distributed to the families of seven victims who lost their lives in the tragedy on Wednesday evening, which occurred due to heavy downpour with gusty winds and hailstorm.
The meeting of municipal commissioners of the five corporations, chaired by the chief minister and attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, focused on fixing accountability and examining lapses that led to the tragedy.
"Why was soil dumped in a way that damaged the wall? Why did you not monitor this?" Siddaramaiah asked, pulling up hospital authorities during the meeting.
A statement from the chief minister's office said that the CM ordered the immediate suspension of the executive engineer of the Karnataka Health Systems Development Project (KHSDP).
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He also questioned the hospital authorities, asking why they failed to monitor the dumping of soil that weakened the structure.
The chief minister directed that a notice be issued to the head of the Hospital.
During the meeting, Siddaramaiah said the rains had caused extensive damage in the city, with over 250 trees uprooted.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary measures before the onset of the monsoon to avoid untoward incidents.
Commissioners of all five municipal zones in Bengaluru have been asked to take precautionary steps, including trimming dry and dangerous tree branches, the CMO said.
Siddaramaiah also directed them to get the silt cleared from stormwater drains to prevent flooding, and that immediate action be taken to remove debris and fallen branches from roads.
Further, he instructed that barricades be placed at underpasses where water stagnates and restricts public movement.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said in a statement that Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased on Thursday.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
Police said the victims, comprising three from Bengaluru, two from Kerala on a study tour and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Assam, had taken shelter near the wall when it suddenly gave way, trapping them under the debris.
The chief minister questioned officials over the dumping of soil near the wall despite knowing it could weaken the structure, and directed that a notice be issued to the head of Bowring Hospital.
Siddaramaiah, who had visited the spot soon after the incident along with senior officials, reviewed the situation and ordered a detailed probe into the collapse.
