1 killed in floods in India's Assam

NEW DELHI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed in the ongoing floods in India's northeastern state of Assam, officials said Tuesday.

The flood situation continued to be grim in the state's 17 districts as incessant rains over the past few days pushed water levels up in the rivers.

Floods have inundated villages, towns and farmlands in many places, forcing people to take shelter in relief camps or with relatives in safer locations.

Officials said the death was reported in Sivasagar district, about 354 km northeast of Dispur, the capital city of Assam.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the floods have hit 17 districts in the state and affected 190,675 people.

The floods have inundated 522 villages and damaged over 8,086 hectares of cropland.

The local administration in the affected areas has opened 45 relief distribution centers and two relief camps for the affected people.

Authorities have asked State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and other officials to work at different flood-affected areas.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya until Aug. 31.

Floods are an annual occurrence in Assam during the monsoon season.

The state witnessed the first wave of flooding in June this year.