60 die of malaria, encephalitis amid floods in Assam

Fifty-four have died of malaria and six from Japanese encephalitis in areas lashed by monsoon rains and floods since early June, P.C. Bhattacharyya, Assam Malaria Program Officer, told AFP.

"About 17,000 of the total 600,000 people whose blood samples were screened have tested positive for malaria," he said.

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"Areas where floodwaters remain stagnant are always very risky and prone to malaria attacks. We are taking all precautionary measures and fanned out medical teams to all the high-risk areas."

About 400,000 people were displaced in Assam during the first wave of floods in early June, but the waters receded last week.

A second wave of floods started Friday and has displaced up to 70,000 villagers in the eastern districts of Dhemaji and Jorhat, as well as parts of the western Goalpara and Dhubri districts, local officials said.

"The worst is yet to come and we are gearing up to meet the challenge," Assam Flood Control Minister Nurzamal Sarkar told AFP.

A Central Water Commission bulletin Sunday said Assam's main Brahmaputra river was rising along its course after four days of heavy rains.

"At least four main tributaries of the Brahmaputra were flowing above the danger level," the bulletin said.

A high alert for flooding was also sounded in the neighboring state of Arunachal Pradesh bordering China. More rain is expected in northeastern India in the next few days, meteorologists said.