Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam’s flood disaster claimed 31 lives as the state government promised Rs 4 lakh in ex gratia to the families of victims. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the payout on Wednesday, July 22, during a visit to the battered districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo. The state reported 21 deaths in the last 24 hours alone, with the toll including four women and two children in Sivasagar, five in Charaideo, two in Golaghat, and one in Jorhat. Over 565,000 people now face rising waters across 16 districts.
Sivasagar remains the hardest hit, with roughly 360,000 residents impacted. Relief efforts struggle against severe infrastructure damage. "There has been extensive damage caused by the floods. I have assured the affected families that they are not alone in this crisis. Our government is standing with them in every step of rehabilitation and rebuilding of livelihoods," Sarma stated in Sivasagar.
Floodwaters have submerged 872 villages and destroyed over 24,210 hectares of crops. Officials report 12,284 displaced people currently housed in 273 relief camps. Teams from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Fire Services, police, and civil administration have pulled over 6,000 people to safety. Supplies distributed in the last day include 5,011 quintals of rice, 956 quintals of dal, 265 quintals of salt, and over 20,115 litres of mustard oil. Dibrugarh administration added to these efforts by dispatching water bottles, biscuits, milk, and 80 quintals of pumpkins via 63 transport vehicles.
The Brahmaputra flows above the danger mark at Neamatighat. Rivers Dikhou and Disang have also breached their highest flood levels. While the CM attributed the surge to upstream cloudbursts, the IMD issued a yellow alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms over the next four days. AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal announced an emergency relief package starting at Rs 50 lakh via the Ajmal Foundation, pledging further aid as needed. The government continues to work on reconnecting isolated villages and replacing lost documentation for displaced families.
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