Army launches 'Operation Jal Rahat' as floods ravage Assam; IAF on standby

The Indian Army has launched 'Operation Jal Rahat' to assist civil authorities in rescue and relief operations as floods continue to wreak havoc across eastern Assam, with Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat emerging as the worst-affected districts.

Several columns of the Army and the Assam Rifles have been deployed for search and rescue operations, while the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been kept on standby as the flood situation continues to deteriorate.

According to official sources, Army personnel, working alongside the state administration and disaster response teams, have already rescued several stranded residents from inundated areas.

The floods have also disrupted rail connectivity after floodwaters damaged and toppled sections of railway tracks. At least two embankments have been breached, inundating large areas and affecting thousands of villagers across eastern Assam.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has rushed ministers Bimal Bora and Susanta Borgohain to the affected districts to oversee rescue and relief operations. Earlier, the state government had also directed senior ministers to monitor the situation on the ground and ensure timely assistance reaches affected families.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said the flood situation worsened on Sunday, July 19, with one person losing their life in Sivasagar, taking the total flood-related death toll in the state this year to five.

More than 57,100 people have been affected across seven districts — Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Udalguri. The number of affected people has more than doubled from nearly 24,000 reported a day earlier.

Charaideo remains the worst-hit district, with nearly 24,000 people affected, followed by Dhemaji, where over 22,000 people are reeling under floodwaters. Dibrugarh has reported more than 4,000 affected residents.

Relief and rescue operations are underway across the affected areas, with authorities closely monitoring the situation amid forecasts of continued rainfall.