3 Lakh In 300 Assam Villages Affected, Teachers To Double Up As Flood Warriors

Assam had over 1.33 lakh teachers, according to government sources. (File)

The flood situation in Assam remained almost unchanged on Thursday with about three lakh people in 300 villages across the state affected by flash floods. Two more people have died taking the total death count in this first wave of floods to three. With close to 900 coronavirus positive cases in the state, Assam has decided that all its flood rescue and relief operations would take place adhering to COVID-19 norms.

To increase man power, Assam has decided that all the teachers of schools and colleges that are closed due to the lockdown will be engaged in flood duties.

Several schools and college staff are already engaged in battling COVID-19. Several of them are deployed in the quarantine centres while many others are looking after the official works in the health departments.

Till Thursday 11 pm, Assam has reported 856 COVID-19 positive cases, of which 746 cases are active and 103 have been discharged.

The Assam government had earlier in April decided to take the aid of teachers to battle COVID-19 as the cases were gradually starting to rise. Government schools and colleges are shut since March 25 when the nation-wide lockdown was announced.

Assam had over 1.33 lakh teachers, according to government sources.

With nine districts in the state affected by floods, about 20,000 people have been shifted to 92 relief camps across the state. The worst-hit is Goalpara, where two lakh people are affected and three deaths have taken place already.