The flood crisis in Assam showed signs of easing but continued to affect thousands, with five districts still inundated, nearly 1.93 lakh people impacted and the season’s toll climbing to 82.
Floods continued to affect five districts in Assam on Saturday, with 1,92,799 people still hit by the situation and two more deaths taking this year’s toll to 82, officials said.
The worst-affected districts were Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon and Charaideo, though the overall situation improved from Thursday, when more than two lakh people in eight districts were affected.
The state government has announced a series of relief measures for the worst-hit districts, including plans to ask insurance companies to quickly settle claims for damaged vehicles, livestock and property, and to request non-banking financial companies to grant a moratorium to borrowers.
Relief work also continued on the ground, with multiple agencies, including the NDRF and SDRF, involved in operations.
Officials said the Dikhow and Dhansiri rivers were in a severe flood situation at Sivasagar and Numaligarh in Golaghat, and people were urged to stay away from them.
Around 13,000 people were staying in 54 relief camps, while 26 relief distribution centres were serving 5,384 people. The government is also focusing on a quick assessment of damage so that repair funds can be released at the earliest.
According to officials, one death each was reported from Sivasagar and Charaideo, taking the total flood death toll this year to 82. Of the 1,92,799 people affected, Charaideo remained the worst-hit with 77,456 people affected, followed by 63,492 in Sivasagar and 34,067 in Jorhat.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state cabinet on Friday decided to hold a meeting with private and government insurance companies on August 5 to urge them to quickly settle claims from people in the affected areas.
The government will also meet NBFCs the same day to ask them to give a moratorium to borrowers from the four worst-hit districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat.
The announcement came a day after Sarma chaired a special meeting of the State Level Bankers’ Committee, where it was decided that all flood-affected people in the four districts would get a six-month moratorium on loan repayment.
In a social media post, Sarma said, “As floods affect four districts of Assam, our government stands firmly with every affected family. Along with other relief and assistance, we have approved Rs 41.67 crore under the PM Surya Ghar pending state subsidy for 9,289 beneficiaries in the affected areas.”
