Guwahati, July 25: Assam continued to grapple with a severe flood crisis on Saturday despite signs of receding water levels in some areas, with the death toll rising to 61 and more than 7.05 lakh people still affected across nine districts, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
The latest ASDMA bulletin reported that 14 additional deaths were recorded during the past 24 hours, highlighting the continuing impact of the floods triggered by relentless rainfall. Charaideo district accounted for seven fatalities, including two women, while six people, including a woman, lost their lives in Sivasagar. One more death was reported from Jorhat.
Authorities said over 7,05,100 residents remain affected in Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Hojai, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon and Sivasagar districts. Although the number of affected people has fallen slightly from more than 7.21 lakh recorded a day earlier, officials cautioned that the overall situation remains serious.
Sivasagar continues to be the worst-affected district, where nearly 3.5 lakh people are facing the impact of flooding. Charaideo has around 1.9 lakh affected residents, while more than 1.3 lakh people in Jorhat are still struggling with inundated villages and disrupted essential services.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma acknowledged that rescue and relief operations are facing significant logistical hurdles, with nearly 80,000 flood victims still beyond the reach of government teams due to submerged roads and inaccessible areas.
He said approximately 50,000 people in the Nazira Assembly constituency remain cut off, while another 30,000 residents in parts of Sivasagar have yet to receive relief materials. The Chief Minister assured that authorities are working continuously to reach every affected family despite the challenging conditions.
BJP MLA Mayur Borgohain, representing Nazira, also expressed concern over the difficulties in reaching severely flooded localities. During a district review meeting, he said nearly 30 per cent of the worst-hit areas in his constituency have not yet received relief assistance because rescue teams are unable to access them safely.
Hydrological conditions remain a cause for concern as several rivers continue to flow above the danger mark. The Dikhou River at Sivasagar, the Dhansiri River at Nanglamuraghat and Numaligarh, and the Kushiyara River at Sribhumi are still maintaining dangerous water levels, increasing the risk of further flooding in nearby areas.
The disaster has submerged 856 villages across the state and damaged nearly 56,607 hectares of agricultural land, affecting farmers during the crucial cultivation season. Floodwaters have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure, disrupting transportation and communication networks in multiple districts.
To support displaced families, the state administration is currently operating 363 relief camps and relief distribution centres across seven districts, where more than 1.15 lakh people have taken shelter. Relief agencies are providing food, drinking water, medical assistance and other essential supplies to those staying in temporary camps.
Rescue operations involving the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services, Assam Police and civil administration have rescued around 1,000 people, particularly from flood-hit areas of Jorhat and Sivasagar.
During the past 24 hours, authorities distributed over 2,109 quintals of rice, 383 quintals of pulses, 129 quintals of salt and more than 9,600 litres of mustard oil among affected families as part of ongoing relief efforts.
The floods have also severely impacted the livestock sector, with more than 3.34 lakh domestic animals and poultry affected, adding to the economic hardship faced by rural communities.
With rainfall continuing in parts of Upper Assam and several rivers still flowing above danger levels, disaster management officials remain on high alert. Authorities have urged residents living in vulnerable areas to follow evacuation advisories and cooperate with rescue teams as efforts continue to provide assistance and restore normalcy across the flood-hit regions.