Assam flood situation worsens, IAF ready to launch relief efforts, more rains forecast in Northeast, West Bengal, North Bihar

IMD has also predicted heavy showers likely over Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh.

New Delhi: Amidst worsening floods in Assam and other North Eastern states, sources in the Indian Air Force have revealed that Eastern Air Command is monitoring the flood situation in the North Eastern states carefully and has kept its assets like helicopters including the Mi 17 and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) on standby.

A senior official from Indian Air Force said, “We are monitoring the situation and the assets for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) are kept on standby at key locations and will be deployed based on requisition by State.”

Today, Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma regarding the loss of lives due to floods in the state.

“Loss of lives due to the floods in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya is very disturbing. I have spoken to the Chief Minister, Sangma Conrad and assured him all possible help from the Central government. Nation stands resolutely with the people of Meghalaya in these trying times,” Shah tweeted.

Loss of lives due to the floods in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya is very disturbing.

I have spoken to the Chief Minister, Shri @SangmaConrad and assured him all possible help from the Central government. Nation stands resolutely with the people of Meghalaya in these trying times.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 21, 2020

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red warning predicting very heavy to extremely heavy rains at isolated places over sub-Himalayan West Bengal (North Bengal districts), Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya. It has made forecast for heavy rains in North Bihar too.

It is believed that the heavy rains predicted ahead may accentuate the existing flood conditions in Assam.

Notably, the floods in Assam have affected 24 districts affecting over 24 lakh people and causing damages to 1,09,600.53 hectares of crop area in the state. According to the flood situation report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Monday (July 202020), the rising water levels has deluged a total of 2,254 villages. The area affected by flood as per the ASDMA reports includes - Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Cachar districts.

Goalpara is the worst hit with over 4.59 lakh people suffering, followed by Barpeta with more than 3.37 lakh people and Morigaon with around 3.35 lakh people. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) evacuated 56 people from flood-affected areas in Matia, Goalpara on Monday.Incessant rainfall since the past three days in the state has led to water levels rising in the Brahmaputra and its tributary Krishnai river in the region.