Monsoon mayhem across India: Assam flood toll rises to 82, Kerala reports 8 deaths, IMD warns of more heavy rain

Advertisement

New Delhi: The flood situation remained grim across several parts of the country on Sunday, with heavy monsoon rains triggering flooding, waterlogging, displacement and loss of lives in Assam, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of more heavy rainfall and flash flood risks in several regions over the coming days.

In Chhattisgarh, heavy rains triggered severe flooding in the Abujhmad region, with Narayanpur district bearing the brunt. More than 50 houses were damaged and two girls lost their lives.

A flood-affected resident, Sonaru Ram, highlighted that around 16 houses were washed away in the incident, adding that a situation like this had never arisen before in the area.

“The rain came suddenly, and we couldn’t go anywhere. We couldn’t salvage any belongings… Around 16 houses were washed away in this incident… We have suffered huge losses. A situation like this had never arisen before; this is the first time it has happened,” Ram told ANI.

Chhattisgarh Minister Kedar Kashyap told ANI that the region received rainfall on July 28, 29 and 30, with precipitation “manifold higher than the average rainfall” and conditions resembling a cloudburst.

Kashyap mentioned that the Chhattisgarh government is making efforts to ensure that the immediate relief reaches the area.

“Consequently, many people were displaced from their homes, and local infrastructure has also suffered damage. Our district administration is working with great diligence. Efforts have been made to ensure immediate relief reaches the area… relief materials have been distributed to the people here,” added Kashyap.

Assam continued to reel under floods with the death toll climbing to 82, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report on August 1. Two fresh deaths were reported, one each in Sivasagar and Charaideo.

More than 1.92 lakh people have been affected across five districts – Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon and Charaideo – where 379 villages have been impacted.

Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika visited the flood-affected Demow and Nazira Legislative Assembly Constituencies (LACs) of Sivasagar district to review the relief and rehabilitation measures being undertaken by the district administration.

Hazarika also reviewed the initiatives taken by the Agriculture Department to assist flood-affected farmers.

In a story of grit, villagers in Sivasagar’s Nepali Khuti area used six country-made boats to rescue over 1000 people from five villages after floodwaters entered homes on July 19.

Sivasagar has been among the worst-hit districts in this year’s flood, with large parts of the district submerged and homes and shops wrecked.

Locals who helped with the rescue recall that the water rose to a dangerous level and entered homes, forcing many families onto rooftops, machans, and tree branches.

Chouhan Choudhury, one of the rescue team members, described the speed with which the disaster unfolded.

“We were at home, but the water came at such a speed. We started saving others using boats. We have never seen something like this. We had six boats, including mine and others. We rescued the people whose houses were torn apart, who were stuck, and took them to town on these boats. We saved over 1000 people from 5 villages,” he said.

The six boats were country-made and never built for a crisis of this scale but became the lifeline for many.

Advertisement

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked industrialist Gautam Adani for contributing Rs 11 crore and Reliance Foundation for Rs 21 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

In Keralam, eight people have died, eight remain missing, and 13 have been injured in rain-related incidents. A total of 5,792 people have been shifted to 209 relief camps. Twenty-seven houses have been destroyed and 196 partially damaged.

An official release said that Chief Minister VD Satheesan continues to remain in touch with the ministers in charge of various districts and district administrations regarding the rain-related situation in the state.

The government also assured that adequate financial assistance will be provided to the families of those who lost their lives, as well as to people who have lost their homes, crops and livelihoods. Those injured in rain-related incidents will be provided with the best possible medical treatment. The government said it would stand by the affected people and extend all necessary support during this difficult period.

In Pathanamthitta’s Ranni town, traders suffered heavy losses after the Pamba River overflowed.

“Running this pharmacy medical store here. The flood has badly affected people in Ranni. The water level rose suddenly yesterday, and within one and a half hours, the river overflowed. Most traders were unable to open their shops, and many have suffered losses worth lakhs of rupees,” the shop owner told ANI.

In Gujarat, the weather department issued a Red Alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall across six districts today, including Morbi, Surendranagar, Rajkot and Ahmedabad. Officials said the rain spell has now shifted towards Saurashtra, causing widespread waterlogging in several areas.

Authorities in Odisha are also battling flood-like conditions, while red and orange alerts have been issued in Himachal Pradesh. Assam and Uttarakhand remain on high alert due to rising water levels.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah approved the release of central assistance to strengthen flood relief and response measures. The Centre sanctioned Rs 500 crore each for Gujarat, Maharashtra and Odisha, Rs 379.35 crore for Assam, Rs 193.95 crore for Himachal Pradesh and Rs 44.55 crore for Arunachal Pradesh.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said the Centre has been closely monitoring the flood situation in coordination with state governments and has extended assistance, including the pre-deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and logistical support from the Ministry of Defence wherever required.

The IMD said rainfall activity is likely to increase over northeast India and the foothills of the central and eastern Himalayas during the next four to five days, while rainfall over south peninsular India is expected to decrease.

However, coastal and south interior Karnataka are likely to receive heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours.

The weather agency also warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Uttarakhand over the next 24 hours due to saturated soil conditions and possible inundation of low-lying areas.

Similar flash flood concerns have also been flagged for Kerala and parts of coastal and south interior Karnataka.

Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and follow official advisories.

(Source: ANI)

Also Read: Surat police extends closure of Dumas Beach till August 7 amid heavy rainfall

Advertisement