Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: The death toll from Assam's severe flooding reached 62 on July 24. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the rising fatalities while overseeing state relief operations. More than 7.5 lakh people remain affected by the disaster across the state. Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dibrugarh, Hojai, Nagaon, Kamrup (Metro), Karbi Anglong, Biswanath, Dhemaji, and Sonitpur are the worst-hit districts.
Floodwaters have swamped 56,606 hectares of farmland. This destruction ruins standing crops and livelihoods. Over 41,000 residents currently crowd 162 government relief camps. Officials have distributed 14,000 quintals of rice, 2,000 quintals of dal, and 58,820 litres of mustard oil. The state government released Rs 111 crore for rescue efforts, pledging more as needed. Sarma stated, "The situation continues to be grim."
Urban flooding plagues Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro). Inundation impacts 14,986 residents across 10 localities and municipal wards. While water levels in the Doyang river initially sparked fears for Golaghat, those concerns eased as the Brahmaputra and Dhansiri rivers receded. Medical teams and animal husbandry staff are deployed to prevent disease and treat livestock.
Sarma is coordinating with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force to reach marooned villages. Aircraft are airlifting supplies, while drones help assess damage. Ministers Susanta Borgohain, Bimal Borah, and Keshab Mahanta are stationed in Sivasagar and Charaideo to supervise operations. Despite these efforts, some survivors in Sivasagar report that aid arrives late or proves inadequate for their needs.
A Central government team will soon visit to verify the destruction. Simultaneously, state teams are uploading damage data via a mobile application. The Chief Minister remains optimistic about current progress. "Today the flood situation has improved a little and we are now able to reach many places," Sarma said. Recovery will be a long process for thousands who lost everything to the rising tides.
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