Guwahati, Assam: Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday acknowledged that thousands of flood-affected residents in Nazira and Sivasagar remain beyond the reach of rescue teams despite round-the-clock relief operations, as damaged roads and difficult terrain continue to hamper access.
Speaking to reporters, Sarma described the floods as a natural disaster of exceptional intensity and said the administration is making every effort to reach stranded communities. According to him, around 50,000 people in Nazira and 30,000 in Sivasagar are still awaiting direct assistance, although the number is gradually declining as rescue operations expand.
He said many villages have become inaccessible after roads were covered by thick layers of silt, making vehicular movement impossible. The Army has been assisting in restoring damaged road links, while country boats are being deployed in areas where conventional rescue boats are unable to operate.
Explaining the cause of the floods, the Chief Minister said the region experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall between July 18 and July 20. During this period, Assam received 33 per cent above-normal rainfall, while Manipur recorded 121 per cent, Nagaland 181 per cent, and Meghalaya 40 per cent above normal rainfall.
Within Assam, Charaideo district received 436 per cent above-normal rainfall, while Sivasagar recorded 134 per cent above normal. Sarma said the sudden inflow of water from Nagaland, combined with intense local rainfall, caused water levels to rise rapidly within just two hours, leaving little time for precautionary measures.
The Chief Minister said nearly seven lakh people across around 485 villages in Charaideo and Sivasagar have been affected by the floods.
On relief operations, Sarma said the government is exploring every possible means to deliver essential supplies, including airdropping relief materials. However, he noted that many relief packages are damaged during airdrops and said the issue would be taken up with the Eastern Air Command to improve the process.
He also said drone-based delivery of relief materials has produced limited results under the prevailing conditions.
Sarma stated that funding is not a constraint for relief operations and that restoring damaged infrastructure will begin after a detailed assessment once floodwaters recede.
A Central Government assessment team is scheduled to visit Assam on July 25 to evaluate the extent of the damage. The state government will also constitute a Group of Ministers (GoM) to conduct house-to-house assessments of damaged properties after water levels subside over the coming days.
