Centre assures full support as Assam flood toll affects nearly 50,000 across four districts

The flood situation in Assam worsened on Wednesday, July 1, with nearly 50,000 people affected across four districts, even as the Centre assured full assistance for relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts in the flood-hit state.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 48,500 people have been affected by floods in Biswanath, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Nalbari districts. Dhemaji remains the worst-hit district, with more than 44,000 people impacted, followed by Dibrugarh with nearly 4,000 affected and Biswanath with around 500 people reeling under floodwaters. The total flood-related death toll this year remains at one.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, accompanied by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, visited several flood-affected areas in Dhemaji district, conducted an aerial survey of the worst-hit regions and reviewed the situation with Assam ministers and senior government officials.

Describing the scale of destruction as severe, Chouhan said houses had been damaged, roads washed away, electricity infrastructure destroyed, paddy fields submerged and livestock lost.

"The crisis is big, and we have seen the devastation. The priority is to restore normalcy and rebuild people's lives," he said after interacting with affected families and reviewing relief operations.

Assuring full support from the Centre, Chouhan said the Union government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stands firmly with the people of Assam and will extend every possible assistance for relief, recovery and reconstruction.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati later in the day, the Union minister said an interim report on the flood damage would be submitted to the Prime Minister while a detailed assessment is carried out.

"The damage is huge. Houses were damaged, roads washed away, electric poles uprooted, paddy destroyed and domestic animals were killed. Everything will be surveyed in detail," he said.

Chouhan added that the Assam government had already begun assessing the damage and praised the state's prompt response, saying the rescue efforts had helped save many lives.

He said immediate relief operations are being undertaken using the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), while the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) would provide adequate financial assistance to both Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.

The ASDMA said authorities are currently operating 13 relief camps and relief distribution centres across two districts, sheltering 153 displaced people.

Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF have rescued 713 people from different parts of Dhemaji district.

During the last 24 hours, the state distributed 290.95 quintals of rice, 51.23 quintals of dal, 15.35 quintals of salt and 1,535.49 litres of mustard oil among flood-affected families.

The disaster management authority said 179 villages remain inundated, while 2,117.34 hectares of agricultural land have been damaged. Floodwaters have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in several districts.

The Brahmaputra River continues to flow above the danger mark at Neamatighat, while the floods have affected over 82,883 domestic animals and poultry across the state.

Chouhan also warned that the impact of El Niño is expected to affect Assam this year, with forecasts indicating that 12 districts could face adverse weather conditions, necessitating both immediate and long-term preparedness measures.