Guwahati: Assam’s flood toll climbed to 61 on Friday with 14 more deaths reported in a day. The fatalities were reported from the worst-hit upper Assam districts of Charaideo (7), Jorhat (1) and Sivasagar (6).On Thursday, the state reported six deaths — Charaideo (2) and Sivasagar (4) — even as authorities struggled to reach thousands of marooned people with relief due to extensive damage to roads and communication links.The flood situation remained critical, with many rivers continuing to flow above the danger level after days of incessant rain. According to official estimates, more than 7 lakh people across 11 districts remain affected by the floods.CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the administration is yet to deliver relief materials to nearly 80,000 flood-affected people, with large pockets of Sivasagar and Nazira remaining inaccessible despite water beginning to recede.“In Nazira assembly constituency, around 30% of the area, or nearly 50,000 people, is still beyond our reach. In Sivasagar, about 20% of the area, covering around 30,000 people, remains inaccessible. The number may vary by around 10,000,” Sarma told reporters.He said thick layers of silt and mud left behind by the flash floods buried roads, leaving several villages virtually disconnected and severely hampering relief operations. While relief has now reached all parts of Charaideo, restoring connectivity remains the immediate priority in Nazira and Sivasagar.Sarma said govt attempted aerial dropping relief materials but suspended the exercise after food packets and other supplies were damaged on impact. “We will hold discussions with the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force on improving the packaging of relief materials so that they can withstand airdropping,” he added.Additional boats, relief materials and essential supplies are being mobilised from other districts to reach the remaining cut-off areas.State govt, he said, is working to ensure that relief reaches every affected family at the earliest.
