In response to the ongoing flood situation in Barak Valley, Assam, an additional team from the first Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed to the region.
This team was airlifted from Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport to Silchar Airport in the Cachar district. This deployment supplements the NDRF team already stationed in the area, with the goal of providing immediate assistance and support to manage and mitigate the flood's effects in Barak Valley.
The first battalion of the NDRF, based in Patgaon, Guwahati, has been conducting regular flood rescue operations in the state, assisting both district and state administrations in affected areas. The NDRF is a multi-agency organization within the Indian Armed Forces, tasked with responding to natural and man-made disasters.
The recent floods in Assam, triggered by Cyclone Remal, have so far claimed the lives of eight people, including two children who died in the last 24 hours. The situation remains grim, with nearly 3.50 lakh people, including over 78,000 children from 11 districts, affected by the deluge.
Rescue operations are ongoing, involving the NDRF, SDRF, Police, Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES), and local administration. On Friday, these teams rescued 615 people. Notably, 149 individuals, including 47 children and one pregnant woman, were rescued from Kandhulimari and Baliram Pathar villages in Doboka and Hojai.
The NDRF is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of residents affected by the floods, equipped and prepared to handle the situation efficiently and with dedication. According to the latest flood report from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), six people, including two children, drowned in floodwaters in the last 24 hours. The report details that three people, including a child, died in Cachar district, two people, including a child, died in Hailakandi district, and one person died in Karbi Anglong West district.
Approximately 1.20 lakh people in Cachar district, 78,756 in Nagaon district, 77,030 in Hojai district, 52,684 in Karimganj district, and 10,165 in Hailakandi district are affected. In total, 560 villages across 25 revenue circles in the districts of Karbi Anglong, Dhemaji, Hojai, Cachar, Karimganj, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Hailakandi, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong West, and Dima Hasao remain submerged. Several rivers, including Kopili, Barak, Katakhal, and Kushiyara, are flowing above danger levels due to torrential rain.
The administration has established 187 relief camps and distribution centres, providing shelter to 68,600 people.
