Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam remains in the grip of a devastating flood crisis. Official reports confirm 47 deaths across the state. Thousands face ruin. More than 6.43 lakh people remain affected across 77 revenue circles and 10 districts, including Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon, and Sivasagar.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warned the casualty count will likely climb. Some areas remain unreachable. Rescue teams struggle to access 20 to 30 percent of the worst-hit zones in Nazira and Sivasagar. Thick mud and destroyed roads block the way.
Sarma attributed the catastrophe to extreme weather. Rainfall in regions like Mokokchung hit 493 percent above normal between July 18 and July 20. Charaideo saw a 436 percent spike. The water surged with little warning. "Usually, we can anticipate floods as rivers gradually rise. But this time, rain began around 3 pm on July 18, and by 7 pm, widespread devastation had already occurred," Sarma said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed a central team will arrive July 25. They will evaluate the damage to homes, livestock, schools, and essential infrastructure. The state currently holds Rs 800 crore for disaster response from its allocation under the 16th Finance Commission.
The Indian Army, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force, and State Disaster Response Force are leading round-the-clock operations. They manage 99 relief camps sheltering over 24,500 people. Officials are also working to prevent waterborne disease outbreaks. Healthcare workers from the National Health Mission have been deployed to monitor public health. While power was restored to many households, some areas remain dark to prevent electrocution from submerged transformers.
The crisis reached the Assam Assembly, where opposition MLA Akhil Gogoi was suspended after protesting the rejection of an adjournment motion. Amidst the chaos, the government maintains its focus remains solely on relief. Officials are preparing a comprehensive rehabilitation package for every impacted family.
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