Assam floods: Nearly 4 lakh people affected, 37 dead; flood situation remains grim despite rain respite

More than 3.90 lakh people are still affected by floodwaters in Assam as the overall situation remained grim despite a marginal improvement in the flood situation as rainfall receded in some of the state. 

Officials said that 19 districts still remained affected. The toll from this year’s flood, landslides and storm stands at 37, while one person is missing, officials said on June 22. 

Altogether 3,90,491 people remained affected in Kamrup, Tamulpur, Hailakandi, Udalguri, Hojai, Dhubri, Barpeta, Biswanath, Nalbari, Bongaigaon, Baksa, Karimganj, South Salmara, Goalpara, Darrang, Bajali, Nagaon, Cachar and Kamrup Metropolitan districts as of June 21. 

The number of affected decreased marginally from 4.09 lakh on June 20, though the number of flood-hit districts remained the same. Karimganj is the worst-affected district with over 2.40 lakh people being hit. 

Major rivers like Kopili, Barak and Kushiyara are overflowing their danger levels. 

More than 100 relief camps have been opened to shelter over 15,000 people, while another 125 relief distribution centres are also functional. Houses, cattle sheds, roads, bridges, embankments and other infrastructure have been affected or damaged in different districts. 

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP at the Centre and in the state of betraying the people by failing to deliver on the promise to make the state flood-free. 

“The flood situation in Assam is grim. Lakhs of people are affected in 15 districts and 36 people have lost their lives, till now. Congress party stands in solidarity with the people of Assam. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. We expect the Modi Govt and Assam Govt to provide prompt assistance, relief and compensation to the affected people,” Kharge wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 

“The people of the state have been squarely betrayed by the ‘double engine’ promise of Modi and Shah to make Assam a ‘flood-free state’.” he added.