GUWAHATI — The flood crisis in Assam escalated further as 21 additional deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, taking the total fatality count to 62. The situation across the state remains precarious, with nearly 11 lakh residents submerged across more than 2,000 villages.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the revised death toll on Saturday, expressing deep concern over the expanding scale of the calamity. Taking to social media platform X, Sarma paid tribute to the victims while acknowledging that the casualty figure could climb higher as rescue teams fight difficult terrain to reach isolated settlements.

"The situation continues to be grim with close to 11 lakh people affected in over 2,000 villages," Chief Minister Sarma stated. "Our ministers are on the ground overseeing relief operations, and I will be visiting the hard-hit districts in the coming days to monitor measures directly."

Relief and Evacuation Measures Underway

More than 41,000 displaced individuals have sought refuge across 162 designated relief camps established by local authorities. To ensure rapid financial support, the state government has released ₹111 crore to district administrations to manage immediate relief needs, with assurances of additional funding as required.

Large-scale distribution of essential food items is currently in progress:

  • Rice: Over 14,000 quintals distributed

  • Lentils: 2,000 quintals delivered

  • Mustard Oil: 58,820 liters dispatched alongside emergency supplies

To mitigate the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks, mobile medical teams from the Health and Animal Husbandry departments have been deployed to flooded zones to treat displaced citizens and safeguard livestock.

Air Coordination and Central Assessment

Recognizing the logistical challenges posed by persistent high water levels, state authorities are coordinating with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force to streamline air-dropping operations and achieve 100 percent coverage for marooned residents.

A specialized Central team is scheduled to visit Assam shortly to evaluate the full extent of structural, agricultural, and socio-economic damages. Local assessment units are utilizing a dedicated mobile application to upload real-time damage reports directly from affected areas to accelerate recovery funding.