Photo Courtesy: nenews
Guwahati: The death toll from Assam’s ongoing flood crisis has reached 97. More than 1.68 lakh people remain affected across 15 districts, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority. The Dhansiri (South) River at Numaligarh continues to flow above the danger mark. 481 villages across 39 revenue circles are currently dealing with the fallout.
Golaghat remains the hardest-hit area, with 54,085 residents impacted. Sivasagar follows with 49,515, while Jorhat and Charaideo report 27,842 and 21,486 affected respectively. The state operates 133 relief facilities, housing over 45,000 people. 14,382 hectares of agricultural land remain underwater.
Chief Secretary Ravi Kota has ordered district administrations in Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Golaghat to finalize field-verified damage assessments by August 14. To bypass bureaucratic delays, the state is launching a digital door-to-door survey from August 9 to August 30. Surveyors will use a mobile app to upload photographs of damaged properties for rapid record-keeping. Following this, officials will conduct a final re-verification with families before distributing aid.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized the need for a sensitive approach. "The guiding principle is clear, assess every genuine loss and provide the maximum relief permissible under existing norms," Sarma stated. To support survivors who lost identity papers, authorities will now accept alternative verification methods.
Banks are instructed to provide loan moratoriums and fresh credit over the next two weeks. Insurance companies must open dedicated helplines to speed up claim processing. Meanwhile, the Vantara Foundation and Anant Ambani are assisting the state forest department with wildlife rescue operations, as hundreds of animals have been swept away or stranded by the deluge.
Financial aid is flowing into the state to support these efforts. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren donated Rs 3 crore to the Assam Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Soren wrote to Sarma, noting, "I am deeply distressed by the grave crisis arising out of the devastating floods in Assam."
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