Assam floods: Toll rises to 118 after 10 more deaths reported in past 24 hours; situation remains critical in Silchar

Cachar: The death toll due to floods in Assam climbed to 118 on Friday after 10 more people lost their lives in the past 24 hours. Still more than 45 lakh people are affected due to the calamity across 30 districts of the state.

Out of the 10 new deaths, two each were reported from Barpeta, Dhubri, Karimganj and Udalguri districts and one death each from Cachar and Morigaon. Water levels are receding in several rivers of the state. However, the Brahmaputra at Dhubri and the Kopili in Nagaon are still flowing above the danger mark, reported news agency PTI.

Cachar's Silchar city is remained underwater for the fifth consecutive day. Two drones have been deployed in Silchar for carrying out flood inundation mapping. These drones are also being used to provide relief materials to flood-affected people. As per the news agency, Eight NDRF teams from Itanagar and Bhubaneswar along with a team of the Indian Army from Dimapur in Nagaland have been deployed in the city.

To rescue stranded people, 10 personnel of the CRPF and four of the SDRF with boats have been airlifted to the Cachar district. Helpline numbers, 0361-2237219, 9401044617 and 1079 (toll-free), have been launched by the state government for the affected people.

Barpeta is the worst-hit district of the state with over 8.50 lakh people have been affected, followed by Nagaon where more than five lakh people affected due to floods. Close to 2.50 lakh people have reportedly taken shelter in 717 relief camps across the state.

On Friday, Industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his son Anant donated Rs 25 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) to help people affected by the floods in the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked the Reliance Industries Limited Managing Director for the donation.