Assam floods affect 54 lakh people across 30 districts; death toll at 76

Due to the state’s fluvial landscape, Assam witnesses floods every year in the monsoon season which often results in loss of lives and damage to crops.

Nearly 54 lakh people have been affected across 30 districts of Assam due to massive flooding, state’s disaster management authorities informed on Saturday. At least 76 people have lost their lives in the disaster.

A flood affected family takes shelter on the roof of their partially submerged house along river Brahmaputra in Morigaon district, Assam. (AP)

“76 deaths and 53,99,017 people affected across 30 districts due to floods till July 17,” said Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

Due to the state’s fluvial landscape, Assam witnesses floods every year in the monsoon season which often results in loss of lives and damage to crops.

According to the report by ASDMA, over 2.4 lakh hectares of agricultural land has been affected so far in Assam, while 3,014 villages are underwater.

The flood-affected districts include Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Cachar.

So far, the government has evacuated 76,003 people from the flood-affected areas. A total of 552 camps have been established under the relief work.

Amid the reports of Assam’s grim situation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed solidarity with the northeastern state and said he is confident that the people will overcome the natural disaster.