The National Disaster Mitigation Force, State Disaster Mitigation Force, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, Assam Police and local volunteers conducted rescue and relief operations despite adverse conditions as the floods inundated village after village in southern Assam. The force is continuously rescuing people and distributing relief materials amid the flood situation in Jorhat, Sibsagar and Golaghat districts that started in July. According to the latest official data, 66 people have died and 6,54,838 people have been affected by the floods across the state.
Kuldeep Sharma, second-in-command of 1st Battalion NDRF, said the force, which is permanently stationed in Jorhat, received an emergency call from July night. The 568 people rescued include a 20-day-old baby from a hospital in Teak Tea Estate and a critically ill old woman from Kavaimari Miching village in Teak, about five kilometers away, according to reports from the district management.
Along with NDRF, SDRF has deployed 533 personnel to deal with the flood situation across the state. Jorhat has 12 SDRF personnel while the highest number of SDRF personnel are deployed in Sibsagar where the situation is more critical. An SDRF official said that as the water started receding from July 21, the force focused on distribution of relief materials and rehabilitation. But as the floodwaters recede, rescue teams are facing another new challenge. Rescue boats are often stranded due to shallow water. At the same time, five dams have burst, disrupting road connectivity, preventing relief vehicles and medical teams from reaching many remote villages.
An official of Jorhat Fire and Emergency Services said the situation is under control but the road is open only in Solmara area. Meanwhile, the Civil Defense Force deployed at Sarupatha’s Awar Bhavan in Golaghat is ready 24 hours to deal with any emergency in case of sudden release of water, a department official said. According to the latest flood report, 810 villages in 28 revenue circles in 10 districts of the state are still affected by floods. 274 shelter camps and relief distribution centers are operational across the state, where 18,902 people are taking shelter and 1,23,114 people have been provided with relief materials.
The water level of Dikhou River in Sibsagar and Dhansiri (South) River in Numaligarh is still above danger level. All disaster mitigation agencies are prepared for weather changes and the possibility of water release from the southern part of the river. Administration and rescue teams are monitoring the situation to respond quickly to emergency calls that may come in at any moment.