Guwahati: Flood situation in Assam turned critical on Monday, with five people dead and two others missing. The death toll in the current monsoon season since mid-June has now climbed to 10.The state govt has deployed the Indian Army, along with NDRF, SDRF, fire and emergency services, civil defence volunteers and local administration, for rescue operations in the worst-hit districts.According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), four deaths were reported in Jorhat and one in Karbi Anglong, while one person each in Charaideo and Karbi Anglong remains missing.More than three lakh people across 794 villages in 16 districts have been affected, with Sivasagar (1.57 lakh), Charaideo (1.04 lakh) and Jorhat (50,987) emerging as the worst-hit.A devastating midnight flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in neighbouring Nagaland on Sunday swept through these districts along the interstate border, disrupting rail services, inundating tea estates and factories, crippling the tea industry, and prompting massive rescue operations.Authorities have opened 101 relief camps and 52 relief distribution centres, sheltering 9,606 displaced people.Urban flooding affected over 7,700 people across three districts on Monday, with Kamrup (Metro) accounting for 7,650 of them.In a distressing incident at Bamonpookrie Tea Estate in Sivasagar district, floodwaters inundated large sections of the estate and factory, forcing a pregnant tea garden worker to deliver her baby inside the flooded premises after rising waters cut off access to medical facilities.The Tea Association of India, Assam Branch, said another expectant mother on the verge of childbirth remained stranded as rescuers raced to evacuate her for emergency medical care, underscoring the severe humanitarian crisis faced by workers trapped by the flash floods.Floodwaters severely disrupted rail connectivity after tracks were submerged and damaged at multiple locations in Sivasagar district. Several trains, including the New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express, were halted, while more than 2,000 passengers from five stranded trains were evacuated early Monday with the help of railway personnel, NDRF, SDRF and local authorities.The unprecedented flooding also dealt a major blow to Assam’s tea industry, with large stretches of tea estates and several factories in the state’s premier tea belt remaining under water, forcing suspension of plucking and factory operations.The state govt has deployed the Indian Army, along with NDRF, SDRF, fire and emergency services, civil defence volunteers and local administration, for rescue operations in the worst-hit districts. ASDMA said rescue teams evacuated 6,710 people using 51 boats deployed across the affected areas.Five relief distribution centres were opened in Kamrup (Metro), while around 6,390 people received relief outside camps. Authorities deployed five boats and evacuated 450 people from inundated areas. No casualties or missing persons were reported.In Guwahati, floodwaters affected several localities, including Rukminigaon, Hatigaon, Housefed Colony, Dispur, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Saukuchi, Betkuchi, ISBT, Maligaon, Pandu, Boragaon and Kamakhya Nagar. The report also recorded one severely damaged kutcha house in Jorhat district.
