With rains abating, there was a slight improvement in the overall flood situation in Assam Wednesday. However, Silchar in south Assam’s Barak Valley remained submerged, even 48 hours after an embankment breach. Families continue to be stranded in their waterlogged homes, and the town is facing a massive shortage of food and drinking water. Electricity has also been cut off in several parts of the town.
GD Tripathi, chief executive member of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), told indianexpress.com that the situation was improving. “The rest of the state is slowly coming back to the usual flood management mode. However, Cachar continues to remain critical,” he said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is expected to arrive in Silchar Thursday to assess the situation.
Nagaon: Villagers use a boat to move to a safer place from a flood-affected area following heavy rainfall in Nagaon district, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (PTI Photo)
An ASDMA bulletin stated that 5.45 lakh people are currently affected in 32 districts of the state, and 2.7 lakh are in relief camps. Twelve people died Wednesday, taking the total death toll from floods this year to 100.
Apart from that, two other deaths were reported from Silchar town. “A body of a 55-year-old man was found floating in the water in the heart of the town. The other body — that of a 22 year old — was swept away by the current. His body was later recovered by the NDRF,” said Cachar SP Raman Dhillon.
Disaster management officials said the situation has not improved in Silchar despite the Centre providing extra NDRF units from Bhubaneswar. “It is simply not enough – the quantum of the crisis is just too large,” said an ASDMA official, adding: “Several people are still stranded, and we’re trying to provide relief around the clock but it is very difficult since the water levels have not reduced.”
Sarma visited flood-affected areas of Nagaon and Morigaon districts Wednesday. Speaking to media persons present at the railway station, the chief minister stated that once the flood-water recedes, the government would take steps to find a permanent solution to the factors which led to the recent flood in the area.
