India: Monsoon kills 79 people and left 2 million displaced

The state of Assam in eastern India has been hit hard by torrential rains caused by the monsoon. The toll was heavy: 79 dead and 2.2 million people were displaced last week. The balance sheet can be daunting: 79 people were killed in the Indian state of Assam, bordering Bhutan and Bangladesh. This year the seasonal monsoon has hit the east of India , since the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur have also suffered flooding without identifying the dead. In Assam, heavy rains caused flooding in the Brahmaputra River. The seventy-nine people who died were involved in various incidents independent of each other. Whether sinking boats, drowning in an attempt to escape the flood, or landslides, the Indians have to face all situations.

 

2.2 million displaced, a national park flooded

 

In total, the floods have affected 26 of the 27 districts of the state, cut off roads, swamped farmlands and destroyed thousands of mostly settlements. Across the region, about 2.2 million people were displaced and over 500,000 are sheltering in makeshift camps. " We opened temporary accommodation camps for the displaced, but many of them had to seek shelter under tarpaulins , "he told AFP the Health Minister of Assam, Biswa Sarma. Local wildlife has also suffered significant losses: according to authorities, more than 70% of the Kaziranga National Park found itself under water. The reserve is famous for its population of tigers, horned rhinoceroses and elephants. "The animals are trying to find safer places" , testified the Park Warden, Sanjib Bora.

 

The Indian government to the rescue

 

On Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has allocated 5 billion rupees (70 million) for flood control and make the reconstructions. Mr. Singh and the President of the Congress party heads the governing coalition, Sonia Gandhi flew over the flooded land of Jorhat, Dhemaji and Dakshin Dinajpur in Assam to assess the damage. The Prime Minister also announced plans to give 100,000 rupees (about 1,500 euros) to each of the next of kin of 79 victims. Sixteen teams from the National Disaster Response Force consisting of 640 members and 71 boats were dispatched to a disaster relief operation. Over 750 Army soldiers would also intervene. The voice of the Indian Head of State, the Government of Assam would possess sufficient food resources to mitigate the fields destroyed by floods. If they were to dry up, Manmohan Singh would press other States of the Centre to come rescue the Assamese.