Guwahati: Assam's persistent flood situation has shown a marginal improvement, with the total number of affected individuals declining to 1.78 lakh, even as the geographical spread of the crisis expanded to seven districts, officials reported on Sunday. This comes as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is scheduled to commence visits to the state's worst-affected regions, coinciding with the Centre's approval of over Rs 370 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for relief operations.
The latest assessment indicates a reduction in the directly impacted population from 1.92 lakh reported on Friday. However, the number of affected districts has risen from five to seven, now encompassing Golaghat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Bajali, Dhemaji, Sonitpur, and Jorhat. Charaideo district continues to bear the brunt of the calamity, with 75,199 residents affected, closely followed by Sivasagar, where 58,824 people have been impacted. Encouragingly, the death toll from the floods remains unchanged at 82, with no new fatalities reported in the last 24 hours.
To address the immediate needs of the displaced, 44 relief camps are currently operational across the state, providing shelter to approximately 15,000 individuals. Additionally, 17 relief distribution centres are actively serving another 5,569 people. The Chief Minister's ground assessment is expected to further streamline the distribution of aid and rehabilitation efforts.
The agricultural sector continues to face significant challenges, with an estimated 15,060 hectares of crop area still submerged under floodwaters. The disaster has also resulted in the loss of 1,543 animals, highlighting the extensive damage to both livelihoods and local ecosystems. Authorities are working to mitigate the ongoing impact and prepare for long-term recovery.
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