The death toll from the ongoing floods in Assam has risen to 95 after six more people lost their lives, while more than 1.6 lakh people continue to remain affected across 14 districts, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
Officials said six deaths were reported on Wednesday, with two fatalities each in Sivasagar and Biswanath districts, and one each in Golaghat and Morigaon. Sivasagar remains the worst-affected district, accounting for 50 of the total deaths reported so far. Charaideo has recorded 21 fatalities, followed by Jorhat with nine, Golaghat with five, Dhemaji with three, Karbi Anglong and Biswanath with two each, while Sonitpur, Kamrup Metropolitan and Morigaon have reported one death each.
According to ASDMA, the floods have affected more than 1,60,600 people across Biswanath, Charaideo, Darrang, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Tinsukia and Udalguri districts. Sivasagar has the highest number of affected residents at around 57,000, followed by Golaghat with approximately 34,000 and Jorhat with nearly 25,000. The number of affected people has increased significantly from the 1.22 lakh reported in five districts a day earlier.
Relief operations are underway across the affected regions, with authorities setting up more than 100 relief camps and relief distribution centres in six districts. A total of 44,523 people are currently taking shelter in these facilities.
The floods have also caused extensive damage to agriculture and public infrastructure. According to official data, floodwaters have submerged 16,951.76 hectares of cropland, while embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure have suffered damage in several parts of the state.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda, who was deputed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assess the situation, visited the flood-hit Nepalikhuti area along the Assam-Nagaland border in Sivasagar district on Wednesday. The area has been among the worst affected since the latest wave of floods began on July 19.
Later, Nadda chaired a high-level review meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and senior state officials to assess the flood situation and review ongoing relief, rehabilitation and healthcare measures.
After interacting with flood-affected families, Nadda said he had witnessed the scale of devastation in Nepalikhuti and noted that restoring normalcy would take time due to the extensive damage. He also assured that both the Central and Assam governments are committed to continuing relief, rescue and rehabilitation efforts without any lapses. He added that teams from the Central Government are conducting detailed assessments of the flood damage and that financial assistance is being extended to support relief operations.
Nadda is scheduled to visit Yazali in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday to inspect areas affected by flash floods, interact with affected residents and chair a review meeting with state officials on relief, rehabilitation and healthcare measures. His visit is part of a three-day tour of the Northeast from August 4 to 6.
