Sivasagar: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday described the ongoing floods as “unprecedented” after visiting flood-affected areas in Sonari of Charaideo district, where he reviewed rescue and relief operations amid a worsening flood situation.
The Chief Minister inspected inundated villages, interacted with displaced families staying in relief camps and reviewed the progress of rescue operations with district officials. He also assessed the challenges faced by rescue teams in reaching stranded residents in remote areas.
Addressing reporters, Sarma said the scale of the disaster was far greater than initially anticipated.
“This is an unprecedented situation. A large number of people have taken shelter in relief camps, while many others remain stranded by the floodwaters. There have been several deaths, and more bodies are still being recovered,” he said.
Sarma said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Army and the state government were jointly carrying out rescue and relief operations in the affected districts.
The Chief Minister also said the state’s disaster relief fund is financed by the Central Government.
“The entire amount in the state government’s relief fund is provided by the Central Government. In fact, 100 per cent of the funds required for flood relief and rescue operations are provided by the Centre,” he said.
He added that the Centre allocates funds to the state in advance and additional financial assistance could be sought if required.
“If necessary, we will also approach the Prime Minister for more funds,” Sarma said.
Expressing concern over the evolving situation, he said many people remained stranded in flood-hit areas and reiterated that the extent of the damage was greater than expected.
According to the latest bulletin issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 21 people died in the past 24 hours, taking the flood-related death toll to 31.
The floods have affected more than 5.64 lakh people across 16 districts. More than 1.14 lakh people are currently staying in relief camps and relief distribution centres, while rescue operations by the NDRF, SDRF, the armed forces, Assam Police and district administrations are continuing in the worst-affected areas.