The death toll from the devastating floods in Assam has risen to 98, with fatalities reported across several affected districts, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). The toll includes 57 men, 23 women and 18 children, comprising 12 boys and six girls.
Cachar has emerged as the worst-hit district in terms of fatalities, with 22 deaths, followed by Sivasagar with 10 and Karimganj with nine. Golaghat has reported six deaths, while fatalities have also been recorded in Dhemaji, Nagaon, Udalguri, Sonitpur and Karbi Anglong.
Rescue and relief operations continue across the affected areas, with district administrations and revenue circle officials monitoring water levels and providing assistance to people in inundated regions.
Amid the worsening flood situation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has called for national-level solutions to the state's recurring flood crisis instead of focusing only on the demand to declare floods a national disaster.
Sarma said the government and civil society must work together to address the long-standing problem and urged academic institutions to develop innovative and sustainable solutions that can be implemented by the government.
"We want national solutions to floods, not for it to be declared a national disaster," Sarma said in a post on X. He added that academia should work on practical solutions that could help the government tackle the recurring crisis.
Meanwhile, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika chaired a review meeting on August 7 to assess post-flood rehabilitation and relief measures in Sivasagar district. The meeting, held at the Deputy Commissioner's Office, was attended by Ministers Bimal Borah and Sushanta Borgohain, along with Nazira MLA Mayur Borgohain.
Hazarika reviewed rehabilitation support, damage assessment, dewatering and floodwater removal operations in Sivasagar town, along with measures being taken to ensure timely assistance to affected families.
The Deputy Commissioner informed the meeting that around 43,000 flood-affected families in Sivasagar had received the Assam government's interim financial assistance of ₹15,000. Hazarika directed the district administration to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the assistance without delay and that no deserving family is left out.
He also instructed officials to speed up rehabilitation work and maintain coordination among different departments. Hazarika has been stationed in Sivasagar for the past seven days to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts in Sivasagar and Charaideo, visiting affected areas and interacting with flood-hit families.
The district administration has also begun steps to mobilise resources for temporary shelters for families whose homes were completely washed away in the floods.
In Golaghat, Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain met flood-affected residents on Friday and expressed concern over the extent of the destruction. Large parts of the district remained inundated as water levels in the Dhansiri and Doyang rivers continued to rise, forcing several families to leave their homes and move to relief camps.
Speaking to ANI, Borgohain said many families had lost their homes and were struggling without proper shelter despite receiving food and clothing. She urged authorities to prioritise housing for affected families, saying shelter had become an urgent requirement.
Borgohain said the devastation was severe and that many people had no roof over their heads. She expressed concern over how long it would take for normal life to return and said providing homes should be a priority as families begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives.
