Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Devastating floods have claimed at least 41 lives in Assam. More than 9 lakh people across 1,800 villages in 25 districts face the deluge. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the situation unimaginable. The crisis stems from upstream cloudbursts and localized rainfall 436 percent above normal.
Sarma toured Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat to review rescue operations. He warned that nearly 100 people remain unaccounted for. Rescue teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Army, and Indian Air Force are working around the clock. They use helicopters and boats to reach marooned residents. Many areas remain inaccessible due to damaged roads and high water levels.
"This is an unprecedented situation," Sarma told reporters. He confirmed that Sivasagar is the worst-hit district. The Bhogdoi River breached embankments in five places in Jorhat. Sarma ordered immediate reconstruction of those sites. The government established over 148 relief camps sheltering nearly 30,000 people. Officials have already distributed 3 lakh kilograms of rice to affected families.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Sarma on July 23. An inter-ministerial central team will arrive soon to assess the damage. This assessment will determine the scale of federal aid for rebuilding livelihoods. The state government plans a long-term rehabilitation package for survivors. They also intend to start discussions with neighboring states to better handle future upstream surges.
The state government announced 4 lakh rupees in ex-gratia for the kin of each deceased victim. Authorities are also helping families replace lost legal documents. Disaster management officials reported that over 1.85 lakh livestock and poultry perished. Thousands of hectares of farmland sit under water.
Comments