Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: The death toll from Assam's ongoing floods climbed to 82 on July 31. Two more people drowned in the Nazira revenue circle of Sivasagar district and Sonari in Charaideo district. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority reported that 1.92 lakh people remain displaced across Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat, Jorhat, and Nagaon. Waters are receding, but 17 revenue circles and 379 villages are still submerged.
Relief efforts are active. The state operates 54 relief camps and 26 distribution centres, housing 12,994 people and serving 5,384 others. Agencies including the NDRF, SDRF, Army, police, and fire services are coordinating the response. Nearly 15,430 hectares of cropland remain under water, alongside damaged roads, houses, and public infrastructure. While official bulletins previously mentioned eight affected districts, the situation narrowed to five by day's end.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a six-month moratorium on loan repayments for flood-hit borrowers in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, and Golaghat. This relief covers housing, education, vehicle, farm, and self-help group loans starting July 19. Small shop owners will receive an extra Rs 10,000 without collateral. Additionally, the government pledged Rs 1.5 lakh to each damaged Namghar in Sivasagar and Charaideo.
Financial aid is coming. Families will receive Rs 15,000 starting August 2 or 3. A comprehensive damage survey begins August 7, aiming to wrap up within 15 days. Education is a priority. The government released Rs 8 crore for school uniforms and will provide Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per school for cleanup. Classes are expected to resume August 9.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi praised the local response. He noted, "People who owed nobody anything still gave." Meanwhile, a BJP delegation met Home Minister Amit Shah to request advance 100-day wages for farmers under the VB-GRAM scheme. The state government continues to lobby the Centre to classify the disaster as an "atypical, high-intensity, rapid-onset event" to secure more flexible funding.
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