Assam govt announces Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for families of flood victims as death toll rises to 31

The Assam government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives in the ongoing floods, as the death toll climbed to 31 and the number of affected people rose to nearly 5.65 lakh across 12 districts.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who visited flood-hit areas in Sivasagar and Charaideo on Wednesday, July 22, said the government would stand by affected families during relief, rehabilitation and the rebuilding of livelihoods.

"There has been extensive damage caused by the floods. I have assured the affected families that they are not alone in this crisis. Our government is standing with them in every step of rehabilitation and rebuilding of livelihoods," Sarma told reporters in Sivasagar.

The Chief Minister acknowledged that relief could not reach several inundated villages due to the lack of road connectivity, with many areas still submerged under floodwaters.

"There is no road or any mode of communication to reach people who remain stranded in their homes. The administration accepts that we have not been able to reach many places. As floodwaters recede, we will be able to access such localities. We are trying our best to reduce people's difficulties," he said.

However, Sarma said there was no shortage of relief supplies in government-run relief camps and announced an immediate ₹4 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of every flood victim.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 21 people died in the last 24 hours, taking this year's flood death toll to 31. Among the latest fatalities, 13 people, including four women and two children, died in Sivasagar, five in Charaideo, two in Golaghat and one woman in Jorhat.

The ASDMA said over 5.64 lakh people have been affected in Biswanath, Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon, Sivasagar and Tinsukia districts.

Sivasagar remains the worst-affected district, with nearly 3.6 lakh people impacted, followed by Jorhat with around 88,000 affected and Charaideo with over 72,500 people reeling under floodwaters.

During his visit to a relief camp in Charaideo, Sarma interacted with displaced families and assured them that seriously ill and immobile people would be shifted to hospitals. He also said the government would facilitate the reissuance of important documents lost in the floods.

The flood situation has deteriorated sharply since Monday night, when around 3.63 lakh people were affected. The ASDMA said 273 relief camps and relief distribution centres are currently operational across 10 districts, sheltering 12,284 displaced people.

Rescue operations involving the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Fire and Emergency Services, police and civil administration have so far rescued more than 6,000 people from Charaideo, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar.

During the last 24 hours, authorities distributed 5,011.07 quintals of rice, 956.53 quintals of dal, 265.18 quintals of salt and 20,115.42 litres of mustard oil among flood-affected families.

The disaster has submerged 872 villages, damaged 24,210.35 hectares of crop area, and affected over 1.85 lakh domestic animals and poultry. Floodwaters have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure across several districts.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Assam, forecasting thunderstorms and heavy rainfall at isolated places over the next four days. The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Neamatighat, while the Dikhou and Disang rivers have crossed the highest flood level at Sivasagar and Nanglamuraghat, respectively, further raising concerns over the flood situation.