Assam Floods: Army launches relief operations, PM Modi takes stock of situation

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Prime Minister Modi called him in the morning to enquire about the flood situation in the state. While expressing his concerns over hardships being faced by people due to this natural calamity, he assured all help from the Central Government.

Guwahati: Indian Army's Gajraj Corps has launched flood-relief operations in coordination with the civil administration in Assam from Thursday. Following heavy rainfall in various parts of Assam, nine composite teams of the Gajraj Corps were swiftly launched day and night in coordination with the local administration to carry out rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected districts of Baksa, Nalbari, Bajali, Darrang, Tamulpur, Hojai, and Kamrup.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Prime Minister Modi called him in the morning to enquire about the flood situation in the state. While expressing his concerns over hardships being faced by people due to this natural calamity, he assured all help from the Central Government.

The columns include engineers and medical staff for relief and rescue were mobilised on the request by the local administration. In Nalbari district, the Indian Army columns which were on standby quickly reached Sathikuchi village and rescued 105 stranded locals. Simultaneously another column of Gajraj Corps out relief operations in Damdama of Baksa district and assisted the locals.

Relief and rescue operations in six districts are underway, the Army said. As many as nine more persons died in Assam due to the flood, taking the overall death toll to 54, according to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Friday. As many as 18.94 lakh people in 28 districts are affected by the flood situation.

The deaths were reported from Hojai, Nalbari, Bajali, Dhubri, Kamrup, Kokrajhar, and Sonitpur districts of Assam. So far 54 people in the state have lost their lives in floods and landslides this year so far. As per the state data, 2,930 villages under 96 revenue circles are currently underwater.

The flood waters have submerged 43338.39 hectares of cropland in the flood-hit districts. The water level of Beki, Manas, Pagladiya, Puthimari, Jia Bharali, Kopili and Brahmaputra rivers are flowing above the danger level mark in many places of the state.

As many as 1,08,104 flood-affected people are currently, taking shelter at 373 relief camps set up by the district administration. Of which, 3.55 lakh people have been affected alone in Bajali district followed by 2.90 lakh people affected in Darrang, 1.84 lakh in Goalpara, 1.69 lakh in Barpeta, 1.23 lakh in Nalbari, 1.19 lakh in Kamrup and 1.05 lakh in Hojai district.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Assam's Kamrup district deteriorated after the flood waters entered new areas affecting more than 70,000 people in the area. The water level of the Borolia river and other major rivers of the district are rising up following incessant rains. The flood waters of the Borolia river on Thursday washed away a portion of an embankment at Choumukha and submerged several villages in the Hajo area. (With agency inputs)