Assam floods: Death toll rises to 61; 14 deaths reported in past 24 hours

Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 25 (ANI): The death toll in Assam's ongoing floods has risen to 61 after 14 more people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

The flood situation in Assam remains critical. In its latest flood report, the ASDMA stated that of the 14 recent fatalities, seven were reported from Charaideo district, six from Sivasagar, and one from Jorhat. The deceased include 11 males and three females. Additionally, one person remains missing in Sivasagar district.

The overall situation in the state continues to be grim, with over 7.05 lakh people affected across 12 districts: Golaghat, Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Hojai, Nagaon, Biswanath, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Kamrup (M), and Karbi Anglong.

Sivasagar is currently the worst-hit district, with 3,48,555 people affected, followed by Charaideo with 1,88,404 and Jorhat with 1,26,793. The ASDMA report further highlighted that 856 villages and 37 revenue circles have been affected by the floods.

The agricultural sector has also suffered a heavy blow, with 56,606.777 hectares of crop area remaining submerged under floodwaters.

As water levels continue to remain high, over 3.15 lakh people have sought refuge in 363 relief camps and distribution centres set up by the administration in the flood-affected districts.

The deluge has also caused significant livestock losses. In the last 24 hours, 17,107 animals and poultry were washed away, while a total of 3,34,020 animals and poultry remain affected by the floodwaters.

Rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing. On Friday, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the local administration evacuated nearly 1,000 people from various marooned areas to safer locations.

On Thursday, amid the worsening flood situation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited a relief camp in Dergaon and described the situation as 'serious', saying he estimated the death toll could rise further.

The Chief Minister attributed the flooding in several districts to a cloudburst in neighbouring Nagaland.

Following incessant rainfall, water levels in the Brahmaputra and several of its tributaries continue to rise at multiple locations across the state. (ANI)