Guwahati, July 24 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that the unprecedented floods that ravaged many districts were caused not only by exceptionally heavy rainfall in Upper Assam but also by intense precipitation in the neighbouring Nagaland districts of Mon, Mokokchung and Wokha, resulting in a massive inflow of water into the state.
Addressing reporters here, Chief Minister Sarma added that the affected region witnessed extraordinary rainfall far above the seasonal average, leading to one of the worst flood situations in recent years in areas that are not traditionally prone to large-scale flooding.
“The devastating floods in Charaideo and Sivasagar were triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall in the two Assam districts as well as in Mon, Mokokchung and Wokha districts of neighbouring Nagaland,” the Chief Minister said.
He added that rainfall in the affected areas was recorded at 435 to 490 per cent above normal, describing it as an unprecedented weather event that overwhelmed rivers, streams and drainage channels flowing from the Nagaland hills into Assam.
According to Chief Minister Sarma, the topography of Upper Assam makes districts such as Charaideo and Sivasagar particularly vulnerable to sudden runoff from the neighbouring hill state during periods of intense rainfall.
“The situation is extremely grim. Large parts of Charaideo and Sivasagar remain submerged, and around 20 to 25 per cent of the affected areas are still inaccessible to the administration due to damaged connectivity,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that 31 people have lost their lives in the two districts so far, including 21 in Sivasagar and 10 in Charaideo, while seven people remain missing.
Nearly seven lakh people have been affected by the floods in the two districts.
Chief Minister Sarma said that the state government has intensified relief and rescue operations, with two state Ministers stationed in the affected areas to supervise the response.
Teams of the Army, Indian Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and district administrations are engaged in rescuing stranded residents and delivering relief supplies.
He also added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to Chief Minister Sarma regarding the flood situation, and a Central Inter-Ministerial Team will arrive in Assam on Saturday to assess the damage and review the requirement for relief and rehabilitation assistance.
While the flood situation has improved considerably in Jorhat and Golaghat districts, Chief Minister Sarma said that Charaideo and Sivasagar continue to face a severe crisis due to extensive inundation and damaged infrastructure.
–IANS
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