Guwahati, Jul 5 (PTI) Massive waterlogging has been reported from various parts of Assam’s largest city Guwahati on Friday, following incessant rain and the Brahmaputra river, which flows along the city, rising above the danger level.
A child has been missing from the Jyoti Nagar area of the city since Thursday evening after he reportedly fell into an open drain.
Pumps to clear the water from the city have been deployed, while the district administration has also opened an emergency toll-free number for the citizens to reach out in case of any emergency.
Locals said the child was travelling on a scooter with his father when he slipped and fell into the stormwater drain.
The father and other relatives of the missing child immediately launched a rescue operation, with SDRF and administration personnel also joining the efforts upon receiving intimation.
“Search for the child is on. An excavator has also been pressed into action, but there has been no success so far,” an official said.
“The incessant rain has caused the Brahmaputra to rise above danger levels. This has forced the closure of the Bharalu Sluice Gate, adversely impacting the outflow of water from several major storm drains in Guwahati city via Bharalu River into Brahmaputra River,” Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal posted on X.
He said the water level of the Brahmaputra in the city at 10 am on Friday was at 49.85m, maintaining a falling trend.
The danger level is 49.68m at the measuring point.
The water level at the Bharalu Sluice Gate was 49.85 m with a steady trend upstream.
“Due to this, instances of water-logging have been reported from various parts of the city. To mitigate this issue, we have deployed 6 pumps at the Bharalumukh Sluice Gate which are all working at full capacity to drain the accumulated water,” Singhal added.
The Kamrup Metropolitan administration has issued helpline numbers for the people to reach out in an emergency.
“In the greater interest of safety and security of the public in general Citizens of Guwahati experiencing issues due to urban flooding can contact the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Kamrup (Metro) for any kind of assistance,” it said in a statement.
Citizens have been asked to contact the toll-free number 0361-1077 and mobile phone number 9365429314.
Nearly 22 lakh people are reeling under floodwater in 29 districts across the state.
The toll in this year’s flood, landslide and storm is at 62.
According to an official bulletin, the number of affected people in Kamrup Metropolitan district, under which Guwahati falls, is 38,487, as of Thursday. PTI SSG SBN SSG SBN
