Assam’s flood situation is worsening each day, despite herculean efforts from the government departments. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES), are working round the clock along with state police, local administration, civil defense, and trained volunteers. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also working tirelessly in the state for rescue and relief measures. Floods and aftermath are one thing, but landslides and collapsing of banks have also added to the problems.
Furthermore, yesterday teams of the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), met with senior officials from the state government, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force (IAF), NDRF, SDRF, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and Food Corporation of India (FCI) to get the full picture of the situation. The current relief work and possible efforts in the future were also discussed.
The state has put up nearly 405 relief camps across 23 districts, providing shelter to 2,77,335 people. Relief materials are also being handed out to people through 138 relief distribution centres.
As of Saturday, the death toll has gone up to nearly 175. More than 22.17 lakh people have been left stranded, struggling to get access to clean drinking water and shelter. At least 1,934 villages in 27 of the state’s 34 districts are still reeling under floods. over 50,714 hectares of cropland across the affected districts. The deluge has also affected as many as 7,81,780 domestic animals and poultry, besides damaging hundreds of houses, roads, bridges, culverts, irrigation canals, and embankments.
Cachar district, with nearly 12.35 lakh people affected, is one of the worst-hit areas of the state. In Nagaon nearly 3.79 lakh and in Barpeta more than 22.08 lakh people have been affected.
That said, the situation seems to have been marginally improving in certain areas, as the water levels of some rivers have been receding. However, the Brahmaputra, Burhidihing, Disang, and Kopili continued to flow above the danger mark in several places.
