Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday reviewed the flood situation in Assam with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who said that although floodwaters have receded, many affected people are still unable to return home due to extensive damage.
Shah, who spoke to Sarma for the second time in a week, assured that the Centre would provide all possible assistance for relief, restoration and rebuilding efforts.
The floods have claimed 78 lives in Assam this year, while more than three lakh people remain affected across seven districts.
Damaged Homes, Blocked Roads Slow Recovery
After the conversation with Shah, Sarma said the flood situation had improved as there had been no heavy rainfall after July 21. However, he said the scale of destruction had created fresh challenges for residents
trying to return home.
“The flood situation has improved… But the problem is that the damage has been so huge,” Sarma said.
“People cannot return to their homes as their houses have either been damaged or filled with mud and silt,” he added.
The chief minister said several areas were still difficult to access as roads remained blocked due to mud and debris brought down from the hills of Nagaland along with floodwaters.
Sarma said Assam did not require international aid, adding that the state and central governments were capable of handling the crisis. He said support and donations were coming from different parts of India.
He also announced that he would meet representatives of banks operating in Assam to discuss special support measures for loans taken by flood-affected citizens.
Heavy Rain Alert Issued
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in isolated parts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland over the next three days.
The weather department has warned that fresh rainfall could worsen waterlogging, flooding, flash floods and the risk of landslides in vulnerable areas.
An orange alert has been issued for Assam’s Tinsukia district and parts of Nagaland, including Mon, Mokokchung and Wokha districts, which could affect neighbouring areas of Assam.
Meanwhile, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) completed a four-day visit to assess the damage caused by the floods in districts including Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat.
Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya also reviewed relief and rescue operations, directing agencies to ensure uninterrupted assistance to affected people.
(With inputs from PTI)
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