Guwahati, Sep 6 : The flood in Assam has affected as many as 12 lakh people, out of which, around 17 have died.
However, for most it is a fight for survival they are getting used to in the absence of any real administrative response. The only good news is the level of water in the major rivers is falling.
Though Bihar’s devastating flood is almost unprecedented, the situation in Assam is also very grave. National Highway 31, the main road link between the Northeast and the rest of the country, was snapped last Sunday.
Several areas in the state are reeling under the flood fury. But the difference is that due to the recurrence of flood, the people have learnt how to cope with the water. They are the ‘river-people’.
“We grew up with flood so we know how to live with it,” said a local resident.
It is the third wave of flood in the state and it has been the most devastating. Majuli River Island is the worst hit. Close to Majuli, Dhakuakhana in Lakhimpur is also severely affected. As much as 18 districts across the state are coping with the disaster.
Assam Disaster Management may be grossly inadequate, but the people here have adopted disaster preparedness.
A lady alone manages a family of eleven without any government aid even after her home has been washed away.
“I have received nothing, kerosene or food. But we manage,” said the lady.
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