Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam’s flood crisis spiraled on July 20. Official reports confirm the death toll climbed to 10. Two more people remain missing. The disaster now impacts 362,933 residents across 16 districts.
Floodwaters swallowed 794 villages. They also destroyed 19,099.59 hectares of cropland. The state government remains on high alert. The Brahmaputra, Burhidihing, Dikhow, Disang, and Dhansiri rivers all surged above danger levels. The Dikhou river in Sivasagar even broke its historic flood mark.
Tragedy struck repeatedly in Jorhat. Local stream Doi Jaan claimed the lives of 14-year-olds Susmita Mardha and Chuniya Pahariya. A third victim, 51-year-old Lalit Gogoi, also perished in Jorhat after being swept away. Titabor MLA Dhiraj Gowala surveyed the damage. He stated, "People in Titabor have never experienced floods of this magnitude before. This is an extraordinary natural disaster for the area."
Urban flooding hit hard in Guwahati. Residents in Zoo Tiniali, Sonkuchi, Beharbari, Panjabari, Hatigaon, Sijubari, Ghoramara, Rukminigaon, Bormotoria, Beltola Tiniali, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Chandmari, Maligaon, the Lokhra-Odalbakra Road, and the Jatia-Kahilipara stretch scrambled for safety. Dewatering pumps now run at Anil Nagar, Rukminigaon, Rajgarh Road, and Lachit Nagar.
Relief efforts are desperate. Authorities opened 101 relief camps. Nearly 45,000 displaced people are sheltered there. The Indian Army and Indian Air Force remain on standby for emergency evacuations. Teams from the NDRF and SDRF are working alongside Fire and Emergency Services to rescue those trapped by the rising currents. Cabinet ministers including Ajanta Neog, Bimal Borah, Keshab Mahanta, and Susanta Borgohain are currently touring the affected zones to manage the response.
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