New Delhi: Torrential rains for the last five days have triggered massive flooding and landslides across Assam, claiming at least eight lives so far.As per media reports quoting state authorities, as many as 1,500 villages along the river Brahmaputra have been flooded due to the continuous rains, affecting at least five lakh people in 20 districts. The weather office has said that rainfall is set to continue for the next two days which means the situation could worsen.Photographs of roads and railway lines washed away by the heavy rains and landslides in the worst-hit district, Dima Hasao, have been circulating on social media since May 17. Media reports have said that on May 16, Air Force and other agencies helped evacuate about 2,800 passengers from two trains after they were stranded on the tracks due to landslides and waterlogging in Dima Hasao.The district has been cut off from the rest of the state for the last three days and authorities have sought the help of the Air Force to drop food and other essential goods to the affected population.Help from central forces like the Army and Assam Rifles have been sought for relief and rescue operations in other districts too, including in two other worst-hit districts, Cachar and Hojai, besides personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services pressed into service.As per an India Today report, “A deadly mudslide triggered by the incessant deluge claimed three lives in the Haflong revenue circle (in Dima Hasao district) while two flood-related deaths were reported in Cachar district.” While two in Cachar and one person in Udalguri lost their lives due to the floods, four in Dima Hasao and one person in Lakhimpur, have died in landslides, the report added.The report said embankments have been breached at 16 locations in different districts since May 16.Various relief camps have been set up across the districts to shelter thousands of flood-hit people. “About 40,000 people have taken shelter in 89 relief camps across seven districts,” the Times of India reported, quoting the state disaster management authority.Also read: Climate Change Has Cost Kuttanad Farmers Rs 9,608 Crore This Year. Here’s What Can HelpUnion home minister Amit Shah had a telephonic chat with state chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take stock of the situation and assured “all possible help” from the Union government, reports added.As per the Indian Express, Sarma has directed the state’s chief secretary to hold a review meeting with a special focus on the worst-affected districts, including Dima Hasao, where landslides in different locations had disrupted road and rail connectivity.According to a press statement issued by the Northeast Frontier Railway, “The massive landslide in more than 50 locations spreading all over the Lumding-Badarpur hill section has completely disrupted the rail communication of the hilly states like Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and South Assam with rest of the country since last Saturday, May 14, adding that the rains have come in the way of restoring the services. The state disaster management authority has said that all roads and railways leading to Dima Hasao district headquarters Haflong were blocked since May 15 due to landslides besides road links to Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts in Barak valley and neighbouring states of Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur have also remained disconnected on May 17.”Meanwhile, airfare in some sectors have shot up exponentially due to the ongoing disruption in road and rail connectivity.Rajdeep Roy, Silchar MP and local BJP leader wrote on Twitter, “With railways and roadways disrupted due to heavy rains and landslides I am stunned to see #silchar-#guwahati airfare reach 31000/- for a 25 min flight of 300km ! This issue of ticket pricing needs to be addressed immediately!”With railways & roadways disrupted due to heavy rains and landslides I m stunned to see #silchar–#guwahati airfare reach 31000/- for a 25 min flight for 300km !This issue of ticket pricing needs to be addressed immediately!@narendramodi @PMOIndia @JM_Scindia @AAI_Official— Dr Rajdeep Roy MP ( MS, MCh) (@drrajdeeproy) May 16, 2022