Death Toll in Assam Floods Climbs to 66 as Thousands Displaced

The ongoing flood crisis in Assam has escalated, with the death toll rising to 66 as of Saturday. Reports from the state disaster management authority confirmed that four additional fatalities occurred in the districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo. Specifically, three individuals lost their lives in Sivasagar, while one death was reported from Charaideo.

Currently, over 650,000 people across ten districts have been adversely affected by the relentless deluge. The districts experiencing significant impact include Golaghat, Charaideo, Kamrup, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Hojai, Kamrup Metropolitan, and Sivasagar. The number of inundated villages has decreased from 900 on Wednesday to 810 on Saturday, indicating some localized improvement.

Sivasagar remains the district hardest hit, with 255 villages underwater and over 290,000 residents grappling with the consequences of the floods. Charaideo follows closely, where around 190,000 individuals are dealing with the aftermath, and Jorhat has recorded impacts on over 130,000 residents. The Dikhou and Dhansiri rivers continue to overflow, posing a significant risk as they maintain levels above the danger mark.

The agricultural sector has not been spared; approximately 34,970.8 hectares of farmland have suffered damage due to the floods, raising concerns about food security in the region. In response to the crisis, the state government has established 274 relief camps and aid distribution centers across six districts to accommodate nearly 19,000 individuals who have been displaced.

In a show of solidarity, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will provide essential clothing support to children and women from the two lakh families affected by the floods. This initiative aims to alleviate some of the distress faced by these families in such unprecedented times.

Source: scroll.in