Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Indian Army has rescued 571 people from rising floodwaters in Upper Assam under Operation Jal Rahat. Spear Corps units launched round-the-clock disaster relief on July 19. Troops are currently operating in Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat districts.
Flood conditions turned lethal. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority reported 10 total deaths as of July 20. Five fatalities occurred in the last 24 hours. The victims include four people in Jorhat, two of them children, and one person in Karbi Anglong. Two individuals remain missing after drowning.
The current deluge impacts 362,933 people across 16 districts. Sivasagar is the worst hit with 157,727 affected residents. Charaideo and Jorhat follow. Nearly 45,000 people have fled to 101 state-run relief camps. Roughly 7,000 people were evacuated on Sunday alone by a combined force of the Army, NDRF, SDRF, paramilitary units, Fire and Emergency Services, and Civil Defence.
The Brahmaputra River and its tributaries remain volatile. The Desang River at Desangpani, Buridehing at Chenimari, and Dhansiri at Numaligarh are all above danger levels. The Dikhow River at Sivasagar has surpassed its highest recorded flood level. Across the state, 794 villages remain submerged. Floodwaters destroyed 29 roads and breached six embankments.
Army teams are using motorboats and engineering equipment to reach marooned families. They provide medical aid and relief supplies. Helicopter sorties and drone surveillance guide the deployment of resources. A senior Army officer stated, "The protection of the country's borders and extending assistance to citizens during natural disasters are among our highest priorities."
State ministers are visiting the disaster zones to review conditions under the direction of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Officials report 19,099 hectares of crop land damaged. Nearly 389,000 animals are also affected by the rising water.
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