International Charter activated for floods in India

The International Charter: Space and Major Disasters was activated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 29 June 2012. Floods, caused by heavy rains over the last two weeks, have taken a toll of 27 human lives in Assam State, India and affected almost one million. The population in 2084 villages in 22 districts have been affected by floods this year. 173 relief camps have been set up so far to provide shelter for those affected.

The Brahmaputra river was reported, on 28th June, as flowing above the danger mark in all its gauge stations at Dibrugarh, Neamatighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri, according to the evening flood bulletin of the Central Water Commission. The districts affected by the current wave of flood include Barpeta, Dhemaji, Jorhat, Golaghat, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivsagar, Nagaon, Morigaon, Lakhimpur, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Nalbari, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Baksa, Sonitpur, Udalguri, Goalpara, Cachar, Kamrup and Karimganj, said the official flood bulletin.