Floods affect over 1.6 million in India's Assam as death toll rises to 46

NEW DELHI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing floods in India's northeastern state of Assam have affected over 1.6 million people and so far killed 46, officials said Thursday.

The situation continues to be grim in the flood-hit 29 districts of the state.

On Wednesday eight more deaths were reported from across the state, bringing the death toll to 46 due to flooding so far.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 2,800 villages are inundated and over 39,451 hectares of crop area have been damaged across the affected districts.

Officials said rescue and relief operations have been intensified by the local administration in the state's 29 affected districts, where 1,625,089 people are affected by the floods.

The local authorities have set up 181 relief camps and 334 distribution centers in the affected districts, where 386,959 people, including 8,551 children, have been provided food and shelter.■