IMD has advised farmers in Assam to sow short-duration and submergence-tolerant varieties of rice in flood-hit areas. Such varieties include Sali rice such as Swarna Sub-1, Ranjit Sub-1 and Bahadur Sub-1. IMD division has advised farmers to go for wet seeding of sprouted rice after the flood water recedes. So far, floods in Assam have claimed around 44 lives and derailed normal life since a month. Heavy monsoon rains are likely to hamper production of paddy and tea in the state.