Assam Flood: Death Toll Rises To 31, Over 5.65 Lakh People Affected As Relief Efforts Face Challenges

The flood situation in Assam has worsened sharply, with 21 more people losing their lives over the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in this year's floods to 31. More than 5.64 lakh people across 12 districts are now affected as incessant rain continues to batter the state, worsening the crisis and leaving several areas cut off.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday visited flood-hit areas in Upper Assam, met affected families and announced an ex gratia of ₹4 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased. Acknowledging the scale of the devastation, he said the government would stand by those affected during relief, rehabilitation and the rebuilding of livelihoods.

Relief Delayed, Government Admits Ground Reality

The worsening flood situation has also exposed the difficulties in reaching stranded residents. Responding to complaints about inadequate relief, Sarma admitted that many submerged villages remain inaccessible as roads and communication links have been washed away.

"There is no road or any mode of communication to reach out to those people who are still in their homes. The administration accepts that. We have not been able to reach many places," he said, adding that relief would reach such areas once floodwaters recede. He also said airdropping supplies was not feasible at present but assured that there was no shortage of relief materials at camps where displaced people had taken shelter.

Sarma further said the government would provide ₹4 lakh as immediate assistance to the families of every deceased and would also extend support in the future. During his visit to a relief camp in Charaideo, he assured people that those suffering from serious illnesses or unable to move would be shifted to hospitals. Medical teams and essential services, he said, have already been deployed. The Chief Minister also promised that the government would help residents replace important documents lost in the floods.

Worst-Hit Districts Bear the Brunt

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 21 people died in flood-related incidents during the last 24 hours. Thirteen deaths were reported from Sivasagar district, including four women and two children. Charaideo recorded five deaths, including two children, while two people died in Golaghat and one woman lost her life in Jorhat.

The latest ASDMA report said more than 5.64 lakh people have been affected in Biswanath, Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon, Sivasagar and Tinsukia districts.

Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district with nearly 3.6 lakh people affected, followed by Jorhat with almost 88,000 people and Charaideo with more than 72,500 residents impacted.

The flood situation has deteriorated significantly since Monday night, when around 3.63 lakh people across 15 districts were affected, highlighting how rapidly the crisis has escalated,PTI reports.

Rescue Operations Intensify Amid Weather Warning

The administration is currently operating 273 relief camps and relief distribution centres across 10 districts, where 12,284 displaced people are staying. Rescue teams from the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services, police and civil agencies have rescued more than 6,000 people from Charaideo, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar.

During the last 24 hours, authorities distributed 5,011.07 quintals of rice, 956.53 quintals of dal, 265.18 quintals of salt and 20,115.42 litres of mustard oil among affected residents.

The disaster has also caused extensive damage to infrastructure and agriculture. At present, 872 villages remain submerged, while 24,210.35 hectares of crop area have been damaged. Embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure have also suffered damage in several districts. In addition, 1,85,029 domestic animals and poultry have been affected by the flooding.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Assam, forecasting thunderstorms and heavy rainfall at isolated places over the next four days. The weather office said an upper air cyclonic circulation over Central Assam and adjoining Nagaland has become less marked, but warned that rain is likely to continue.

River levels also remain a concern. The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Neamatighat, while its tributaries Buridihing at Khowang and Dhansiri at Golaghat and Numaligarh are also above danger levels. The Dikhou river at Sivasagar and the Disang river at Nanglamuraghat have crossed the highest flood level, indicating that the flood threat is far from over.

As fresh rain continues and river levels remain high, the coming days will test the state's relief machinery. While rescue operations have intensified, restoring connectivity and ensuring timely assistance to marooned villages will remain the biggest challenge in the immediate future.