Assam floods: 23 lakh affected in 29 districts, water levels show signs of receding

The flood situation in Assam is showing signs of improvement, with the number of affected people across 29 districts now standing at 23 lakh. In Darrang district, 163,218 people have been impacted by the floods, and 98 villages remain submerged. However, the water level of the Brahmaputra River is gradually receding.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited flood relief camps in Kamrup district to evaluate the impact of the ongoing floods and ensure the proper distribution of relief to affected residents on Sunday.

During his visit, CM Sarma engaged with displaced families and reassured them of new housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

“Due to floods in Assam, houses of many families have been damaged and they have come to our Relief Camps. Today I met some such people in Palashbari and instructed to provide them new houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY),” Assam CM posted on X.

The safety and hygiene of flood relief camps is our priority. My team is reaching out to all people staying here to gather real time feedback.#AssamFloods pic.twitter.com/C3U8ExJAUk

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 7, 2024

The chief minister assessed the conditions in the area as the state continued to grapple with the devastating floods. He emphasized the importance of safety and hygiene in the flood relief camps, saying, “The safety and hygiene of flood relief camps is our priority. My team is reaching out to all people staying here to gather real-time feedback,” as posted on X.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that the severe flood situation in Assam over the past month has claimed 58 lives across the state. On Saturday alone, six more people lost their lives, increasing the death toll from 52 to 58. Dhubri district has been the most severely affected, followed by Cachar and Darrang.

The destructive floodwaters have caused significant damage, including loss of life, extensive damage to infrastructure, road closures, crop destruction, and livestock loss. Countless individuals have been displaced and left without homes.

On Sunday, Assam water resources minister Pijush Hazarika assessed the flood-affected areas in Darrang district. He said, “There are four embankment breaches that occurred in Assam this time. On the riverside, lots of destruction has happened. We are seriously monitoring the situation. We are helping our people. We are giving enough flood relief materials to the flood-affected people. The water levels of the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries are receding now and I believe that in the next 5 to 7 days, it will be a good scenario. The destruction is less as compared to previous floods. In the second wave of floods, breaches occurred in four places only. People who live by the riverside have been highly affected.”

Hazarika also mentioned the government’s plans to construct 220 km of new embankments in the state this year, with the aim of having only 120 km of unbanked areas remaining by next year. He emphasised the government’s commitment to maintaining and strengthening existing embankments.
BJP MP Dilip Saikia said that both the central and state governments are taking all necessary measures to assist the flood-hit victims. He highlighted the regular visits by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to affected areas and the close monitoring of the situation by union home minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Saikia also pointed out the significant increase in budget allocation for the water resources department under the BJP rule, from Rs 200-250 crore during the Congress tenure to over Rs 2500 crore now.

In the meantime, residents of several Char areas (riverine areas) in Darrang district, such as Misamari Char, Borochar, Egarachi Char, Bogmari, Hatipori, Alga Char, Hatiala Cha, Chatiara, Deka Char, and War Char, are grappling with the aftermath of the floods.

With roads submerged, country-made boats have become the sole means of transportation for locals in around 15-20 villages near the Brahmaputra River. The district administration reports that 1609 hectares of crop area have been inundated by the flood waters.

Many flood-affected individuals in Darrang district have taken refuge on roads and embankments as their homes remain submerged.