Guwahati, 25 July (HS): The Union Government has given topmost priority to the severe floods sweeping Upper Assam and has pledged comprehensive assistance for rescue, rehabilitation, and long-term reconstruction. Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed the details after speaking on the phone with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

In his social media post, Sarma noted that the Prime Minister personally called to review the flood situation on the ground. While conveying his heartfelt condolences for the lives lost and the widespread damage, PM Modi reassured the people of Assam that the Centre is treating this disaster as a top priority and will provide every possible help for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts.

The Chief Minister updated the Prime Minister about the steps taken by the state administration and the continuous operations to reach out to every impacted family. According to Sarma, the Prime Minister sought a detailed briefing on the scale of destruction, the progress of relief work and the difficulties being faced in the affected regions.

This development comes just before an inter-ministerial Central team is set to reach Assam on Saturday. The team will evaluate the extent of damage and determine the additional central support needed for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

CM Sarma had earlier pointed out that the team’s on-spot assessment would enable the Centre to decide the full extent of assistance required once the immediate relief phase ends.

According to the latest flood bulletin released by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority on Friday night, 856 villages are still underwater and 14 more people have died in the past 24 hours. Despite large-scale rescue and relief missions, a large number of affected residents remain out of reach of aid workers.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Sarma said relief materials have not yet reached around 80,000 people, mostly in the severely affected Sivasagar district, particularly in Nazira. He mentioned that nearly 50,000 people in Nazira Assembly constituency alone and another 30,000 in other parts of Sivasagar are still inaccessible. Although floodwaters have begun receding in several places, heavy deposits of silt and mud have cut off many localities from relief networks.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash