Immediate relief is needed: Alia Bhatt urges support for Assam flood victims

Actor Alia Bhatt appealed to her followers to support relief efforts in flood-hit Assam. Her appeal came as the state grappled with heavy losses, mass displacement and a long road to recovery.

In Short

• Alia Bhatt appeals for immediate flood relief support in Assam
• Floods claim 68 lives and displace lakhs in Assam
• Alia to share ways to help organisations on ground

Actor Alia Bhatt has appealed to her followers to come forward and support relief efforts in flood-hit Assam. Sharing a note on Instagram Stories on Tuesday, the actor called for "immediate relief" for those affected and said she would be sharing ways to contribute to organisations working on the ground.

Assam has once again been battered by monsoon floods, with widespread devastation reported across several districts. The floods have claimed 75 lives, displaced lakhs of people and left thousands of families without homes, farmland or livelihoods.

In her note, Alia highlighted the scale of the humanitarian crisis and urged people to extend support to those affected.

"Right now, floods are affecting so many parts of our country, with Assam being among the hardest hit, facing an incredibly challenging time. More than 60 lives have been lost. Lakhs of people have been displaced. Entire families have lost their homes, their land, their livestock, and for some, even the people they love," she wrote.

The actor also pointed out that the floods happen every year but still catches everyone off-guard. She emphasised that nothing should lessen the urgency of relief efforts.

"It happens every year, and it still catches us off guard. Assam needs immediate relief right now, and it'll need support for the long road to recovery. If you've been wondering how you can help, I'll be sharing a few ways we can support relief efforts over the next few days, through organisations working on the ground," she added.

Alia is among several celebrities who have spoken up about the crisis. Recently, Salman Khan joined hands with one of his fan clubs in Assam to launch a relief campaign for those affected.

Assam battles another devastating flood season

Assam remains one of India's most flood-prone states due to the Brahmaputra river and its extensive network of tributaries. Heavy monsoon rains have once again triggered widespread flooding and riverbank erosion, damaging homes, roads, agricultural land and public infrastructure across multiple districts. The situation marginally improved on Tuesday but 3.32 lakh people remain affected.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a social media post that power is being restored in phases. He wrote, "Since this morning, the number of families without power has declined by another 25 per cent. As floodwaters continue to recede, power supply is being restored across more affected areas. I will continue to share regular updates and keep you posted until power is restored to every affected household (sic)."

Government agencies are continuing rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently assured Assam MPs of the government's full support in tackling the crisis and appreciated the state government's response. A central team is already in Assam assessing the damage, and the Prime Minister also said that a senior Union minister would be deputed to the state to strengthen coordination of relief operations.

Officials said floodwaters continued to affect six districts, with relief, rescue and restoration operations still under way. The affected districts are Sivasagar, Golaghat, Charaideo, Jorhat, Nagaon and Kamrup (Metropolitan).

- Ends