Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday directed the water resources department to extradite the construction of new alignment for improving fortification at the breached LB embankment near Bor Athiabari in the Darrang district of the state.

The Assam CM was on a visit of the Darrang district to inspect the LB embankment which was breached by the surging Saktola river.

CM Sarma tweeted, “Directed Water Resources Department (WRD) to plug the breached portion. Also assured local people that the embankment with new alignment will be made to improve fortification.”

“As the flood water recedes, Ministers of Water Resources and Irrigation Department will come to expedite construction of new alignment of the embankment,” he further wrote.

MP Dilip Saikia, MLAs Bhabesh Kalita, Paramananda Rajbongshi, Basanta Das, and former MLA Gurujyoti Das accompanied him on his visit, according to the tweet.

CM Sarma told ANI earlier today that he was humbled by the generosity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who enquired about the situation of flood in Assam.

He said, “At 6 am today, PM Modi called me to enquire about the flood situation in Assam. While expressing his concerns over hardships being faced by people due to this natural calamity, PM assured all help from Central Government. Humbled by his reassuring generosity.”

The water level of several rivers in the district have risen and as much as 1891.80 hectares of cropland has been submerged, according a report from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), after torrential rains hit several parts of the state over the past week.

More than 1.23 lakh people in the Nalbari district of lower Assam have been affected by the current wave floods, the report added. Several embankments have been destroyed and roads and residences have been washed away in the district due to floods.

The Paschim Nalbari, Ghograpar, Barbhag, Nalbari, Tihu, Banekuchi, and the Barkhetri revenue circles of the district have been devasted by the floods which has inundated at least 203 villages.

A total of 54 relief camps have been set up in Nalbari and around 16,000 people affected by the floods are lodged in the camps at the moment.

Eight people were killed and eight others are missing in the last 24 hours in the state due to floods taking the total people killed due to floods to 51, while another 11 people were killed due to landslides, according to data from the disaster management department.

Meanwhile, an additional 1.61 lakh domestic animals in the Nalbari district have been affected by the floods.

On Friday, the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF and Fire and Emergency Services had rescued 557 people from flood-hit areas of the district.