GUWAHATI: The flood situation in Assam worsened on Sunday with one more person losing his life and the number of people affected by the deluge rising to over 57,000 across seven districts.The said incident has prompted the state government to ask the Army and the Air Force to remain on standby for evacuation and rescue operations, news agency PTI reported.Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he has directed four cabinet ministers to visit Upper Assam to oversee rescue and relief work in the three worst-affected districts.According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority’s (ASDMA) daily flood report, one person died in Sivasagar due to the floods. With this, the death toll in this year’s floods has risen to five.The ASDMA said more than 57,100 people have been affected in Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Udalguri districts.Charaideo remained the worst-hit district, with nearly 24,000 people affected, followed by Dhemaji with around 22,000 and Dibrugarh with about 4,000, it added.Till Saturday, nearly 24,000 people were affected by floods in four districts of the state, PTI reported.In a social media post, Sarma said the state government has requested the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force to remain on standby to assist in evacuating people from flood-affected districts, if required.“As the flood situation in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat continues to worsen, the Assam government has requested the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force to be on standby to support evacuation and rescue operations, if required,” he added.Sarma said he has instructed ministers Ajanta Neog, Bimal Borah, Keshab Mahanta and Susanta Borgohain to immediately visit the flood-hit areas to supervise relief operations and ensure timely assistance reaches every affected family.“The safety and well-being of our people is our highest priority. I am monitoring the situation round the clock, and we will take every necessary step to protect lives and provide all possible relief,” the CM said.The ASDMA said the administration is operating 14 relief camps and relief distribution centres across four districts, where 440 displaced people are currently taking shelter.Personnel of the State Disaster Response Force rescued 10 people from different parts of Charaideo, it added.Authorities distributed 58.17 quintals of rice, 10.89 quintals of dal, 3.26 quintals of salt and 326.88 litres of mustard oil among flood-affected people over the past 24 hours.At present, 298 villages remain inundated, and 3,874.84 hectares of cropland have been damaged across the state, the ASDMA said.Floodwaters have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure in several districts.The Burhidihing River was flowing above the danger mark at Chenimari in Dibrugarh’s Khowang area.More than 37,558 domestic animals and poultry have also been affected by the floods across the state.(With agency inputs)
