Indian Army rescues over 200 people in flood-hit Upper Assam under Operation Jal Rahat

The Indian Army has rescued more than 200 stranded civilians in flood-affected parts of Upper Assam under Operation Jal Rahat, as rescue and relief operations intensified in areas inundated by rising river waters.

According to PRO Defence, Tezpur, four Flood Relief Columns of the Red Shield Division under the aegis of the Spear Corps were deployed on July 20 at the request of the civil administration to assist in rescue, evacuation and relief operations in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat districts.

The relief columns are operating at Nazira and Amguri in Sivasagar district, Sonari in Charaideo district and parts of Jorhat district, with support from other formations under the Spear Corps.

Equipped with rescue boats, medical teams, engineering equipment and relief supplies, Army personnel have evacuated stranded residents, including families marooned in flooded areas, while also providing emergency medical assistance and relief materials.

The Army said helicopter reconnaissance sorties and drone surveillance are being carried out to assess the flood situation and facilitate the deployment of rescue resources. Engineering detachments have also been deployed to restore connectivity in areas where roads and other infrastructure have been damaged.

The operations are being conducted in coordination with the district administrations of Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other civil agencies. Additional resources have been kept on standby for immediate deployment as the flood situation evolves.

Meanwhile, water levels of the Brahmaputra and several of its tributaries continued to rise following incessant rainfall in Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

According to the Central Water Commission, the Desang River at Desangpani in Charaideo district was flowing above its previous highest flood level. The Dikhow, Buridehing, Brahmaputra and Dhansiri (South) rivers were also flowing above danger level or in severe flood conditions.

Officials said the current wave of flooding has affected 580 villages across 30 revenue circles in Assam. Teams of the NDRF and SDRF have been deployed in the worst-affected districts, including Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat, to carry out rescue and relief operations.