In what might be called as the worst flood disaster this past decade, at least 77 people are reportedly dead after continuous rains and landslides hit the north-eastern state of Assam.
As many as six people are missing and about two million people have been displaced due to the heavy floods. According to reports, all 27 districts in the state are under water. The floods have also affected neighbouring states including Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, with Brahmaputra and the Kapili rivers flowing well above danger level.
It's also said that the Kaziranga and other wildlife sanctuaries in Assam are submerged.
While 75,000 people have become homeless in the plain areas of Meghalaya's Garo Hills region, there was some kind of relief in Arunachal Pradesh as the water level is said to be receding.
"So far no casualty has been reported. A general alert has been sounded in the area," Pravin Bakshi, West Garo Hills district administrator, told Indian news agency Press Trust of India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced an ex-gratia from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to help families of the victims who died in the floods. The Assam government has assured to provide compensation to families who have lost their homes and fields in the floods.
The government has reportedly set up 787 relief camps across several affected areas to look into relief operations. The Army, Border Security Force (BSF) and the Home Guards have already been put in place to help in the rescue efforts.
Army spokesman Lt Col N N Joshi told NDTV that more than 2500 people who were stranded have been rescued by the army in speedboats from various flood-hit districts of Sonitpur, Barpeta, Kamrup (rural), Baksa and Darrang.
Meanwhile PM Singh and Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi along with several high-level officials will get an aerial view of flood-hit areas and will oversee the rescue operations on Monday.
