Assam State Disaster Management Authority issues storm guidelines

Guwahati: With heavy storms lashing the state on a regular basis, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has asked residents to equip themselves to minimize damage.
An ASDMA report said at least 21 persons have died and around 39,595 families have been affected in storms between January 9 and April 30 this year.
In its latest ‘cumulative storm report 2016', ASDMA said, "As many as 30,388 kutcha houses and 496 pucca houses have been partially damaged and 7,100 kutcha houses and 14 pucca houses have been completely damaged in 1,041 villages of Assam.Some 62 major incidents of storms have been reported during the period."
On April 28 alone, six persons were killed after storms hit Tinsukia, Cachar and Darrang districts. Cachar has emerged as the worst storm-hit district so far, with 17,666 families affected by them. It is followed by Tinsukia where 11,251 families have been badly hit by storms.
"If your house has a tin roof, check for loose nails, holes, leaks and rusty areas and do the repairs. If your house has a thatched roof, check for damages caused by growth of algae and moss, rodents, birds and previous storms, and re-thatch, strengthen and replace the broken bamboo. If the door and window latches of your house are not working and there are cracks or gaps in the window or door panes, do the repairs. Remove dead branches or dying trees from your yard which could blow about and cause damage to your house," an ASDMA advisory said.
The authority also issued instructions for those who find themselves travelling during a storm. "If you are driving, stop your car and park in a safe place away from power lines and trees. Avoid boarding a ferry if you see dark clouds in the sky accompanied by strong winds. Know the carrying capacity of the ferry and avoid boarding an overloaded vehicle," the advisory added.
Meanwhile, taking preemptive action to safeguard people in the flood-prone areas of lower Assam, troops of the Army's Gajraj corps have begun flood-relief preparation. Army teams have identified all low-lying and flood-prone areas and made contingency plans to provide immediate relief in case of any calamity.
"Relief camps sites and medical aid plans have been worked out in conjunction with civil administration. The Army has kept boats, lifejackets and specialised vehicles ready," said Lt Col Suneet Newton, PRO (defence).
As on Monday, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar districts are still inundated.