Guwahati: The Indian Army has launched Operation Jal Rahat to support rescue and relief efforts in flood-hit eastern Assam, where rising waters have severely affected Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat districts.
Multiple Army and Assam Rifles teams have been deployed to assist civil authorities in evacuating stranded residents and carrying out search and rescue operations. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has also been placed on standby to assist if the situation worsens. Officials said rescue teams have already evacuated several people from inundated areas in coordination with the state administration and disaster response agencies.
The floods have caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including railway tracks, disrupting train services in parts of the region. Breaches in at least two embankments have further aggravated the situation, allowing floodwaters to inundate vast stretches of land and impact thousands of residents.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has deputed ministers Bimal Bora and Susanta Borgohain to the affected districts to supervise relief and rescue operations. The state government has also directed senior ministers to remain on the ground to monitor the evolving situation and ensure prompt delivery of assistance.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one person died in Sivasagar on Sunday, raising the flood-related death toll in the state this year to five.
The latest flood bulletin said more than 57,100 people have been affected across seven districts: Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Udalguri. The number of affected residents has more than doubled since the previous day, when nearly 24,000 people were reported affected.
Charaideo continues to be the worst-affected district, with nearly 24,000 people hit by the floods. Dhemaji follows with over 22,000 affected residents, while Dibrugarh has reported more than 4,000 people impacted.
Relief operations are continuing across the affected districts as authorities remain on alert, with forecasts indicating the possibility of further rainfall in the coming days.