Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured all support to Assam in dealing with the flood havoc, which has claimed 84 lives so far this year.
Discussing the flood situation with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over phone, Modi also enquired about the COVID-19 situation in the state and the ongoing efforts to douse the raging blaze at Oil India's Baghjan gas well in Tinsukia district.
"Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji took stock of the contemporary situation regarding #AssamFloods2020, #COVID19 and Baghjan Oil Well fire scenario over phone this morning," Sonowal tweeted.
"Expressing his concern & solidarity with the people, the PM assured all support to the state," he said.
An official at the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said that Sonowal informed Modi about all the measures the state has taken so far in dealing with the problems faced by the people.
The total number of people losing their lives in flood and landslides in Assam this year is 110. While 84 died in flood-related incidents, landslides claimed 26 lives.
Floods have affected over 25 lakh people in 24 of the 33 districts of Assam and has destroyed houses, crops, roads and bridges at several places.
Assam has so far recorded 22,981 coronavirus cases, of which 10,503 have been reported from Guwahati city alone. A total of 53 people have died of the disease.
Five more COVID-19 patients have died, but the government's Death Audit Board has not included them in the tally of deaths caused by the COVID-19 virus, saying they succumbed to other ailments.
The damaged Baghjan gas well of PSU major Oil India Ltd in Assam is spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 54 days since a blowout took place on May 27, followed by the inferno on June 9.
"The Prime Minister said that the central government was keeping a close watch on flood, erosion, COVID-19 and Baghjan situation in the state and had been standing closely with the people of Assam during these difficult times," the CMO said in a statement later.
Sonowal informed Modi that vast areas of the state, farmlands and houses have been severely affected due to the erosion caused by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, it said.
District administrations have been readied to tackle the problems of flood and erosion, the statement said, adding that the chief minister has been visiting different places to monitor and assess the damages as well as oversee rescue and rehabilitation operations.
On the COVID-19 scenario, Sonowal told the prime minister that the number of positive cases is increasing in the state as more people are being tested now following ramping up of testing capacity by the health department.
"The chief minister expressed confidence that the health department would be able to handle the situation even if the number of positive cases goes up rapidly in the near future," the statement said.
Sonowal also said that many inmates in the state's jails have tested COVID-19 positive and steps have been initiated to ensure their treatment.
Referring to the Baghjan well fire incident, he informed the prime minister that the Union Petroleum Ministry has been persistently carrying out activities to douse the blaze and the state government is extending all cooperation in this regard.
