Guwahati, July 28 : Assam is slowly coming up for air, but the water hasn’t receded enough yet. The flood toll this year has climbed to 68, with more than 4.4 lakh people across six districts still battling inundated homes, damaged roads and disrupted lives.
According to the latest ASDMA bulletin, 4,45,495 people remain affected in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon and Kamrup Metro. Just a day earlier, the figure was over 5.24 lakh across five districts. No new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.
Charaideo continues to bear the brunt with 1.88 lakh people hit, followed by Sivasagar at 1.44 lakh and Jorhat at 74,458. The Dhansiri at Numaligarh is still flowing above the danger mark, keeping Golaghat on edge.
Relief machinery is working round the clock. 90 relief camps are housing 28,695 displaced people, and 94 distribution centres are doling out essentials. The Army, NDRF, SDRF and civil defence teams have pressed 67 boats into service for rescue and supply runs. Food grains, medicines and air-dropped kits are reaching cut-off villages, while power crews are restoring electricity in a phased manner after precautionary shutdowns in Sivasagar, Jorhat, Charaideo, Dhubri and Bongaigaon.
The damage is massive. Over 37,139 hectares of crops are under water, and 26,679 animals have been washed away. ASDMA said 88,240 domestic animals and poultry have also been impacted. Embankments, bridges and roads in several districts have taken a beating.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said rehabilitation will be fast-tracked once waters recede, with schools and infrastructure to be repaired on priority. “We remain committed to restoring essential services at the earliest,” he posted on X.
In a show of solidarity, the IAS Association, Assam announced a one-day salary contribution to the CM Relief Fund. Officers of Commissioner rank and above will give at least ₹10,000 each.
The floods also drew national attention, with LoP Rahul Gandhi urging the Centre and state to build a “scientific prevention and early warning system” so that Assam doesn’t face the same devastation every year.
For now, officials are watching the rivers closely and keeping relief teams on standby in Upper Assam. The water may be receding in parts, but for lakhs of people in Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat, normalcy is still days away.
