GUWAHATI | Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that around 100 people remain missing in the devastating floods that have inundated large parts of Upper Assam, following his visit to some of the worst-affected districts, including Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat.

The Chief Minister toured flood-hit areas, inspected relief camps, interacted with displaced residents and reviewed rescue and relief operations being carried out by various agencies. Addressing the media in Sivasagar, Sarma described the flood situation as “extremely serious,” noting that several villages remain submerged and many affected areas are still difficult to access.

“Around 100 people are still missing. Many villages continue to remain under water, and there are places where rescue teams have not yet been able to reach. We are making every effort to assist those affected, but the situation remains challenging,” he said.

The Chief Minister observed that the current floods have impacted not only rural areas but also urban centres, making the disaster particularly severe. According to him, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat are among the districts worst affected by the deluge.

He attributed part of the worsening situation to the inflow of water from neighbouring Nagaland, which has contributed to rising water levels in several areas of Upper Assam.

During his visit to Charaideo district, Sarma reviewed the functioning of relief camps and met families displaced by the floods. He described the scale of devastation as unprecedented, with large numbers of residents taking shelter in relief camps while many others remain stranded in inundated villages.

The Chief Minister also acknowledged the loss of lives caused by the floods, adding that recovery efforts were continuing and more bodies were being recovered from affected areas.

Sarma said rescue and relief operations were being conducted round the clock by personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Indian Army and district administrations. The teams are engaged in evacuating stranded residents, supplying essential commodities and providing medical assistance in affected regions.

He further stated that the Union Government was extending full support to Assam’s flood relief efforts and assured that the state government would seek additional assistance from the Centre if required. Later in the day, the Chief Minister visited Solmora and Borigaon villages in Jorhat district to assess the damage caused by the floods and interact with affected families.

Reviewing the situation in Jorhat, Sarma said the Bhogdoi River had breached embankments at five locations, aggravating flooding in surrounding areas. He announced that restoration and reconstruction work on the damaged embankments would begin immediately.

“The flood situation is very serious. The Bhogdoi River has breached embankments at five places. We will start reconstruction work without delay. Relief and rescue operations are continuing, and the government will provide every possible assistance to the affected people,” he said.

Responding to reports of a possible cloudburst in Nagaland’s Mon district that may have contributed to the sudden rise in water levels, the Chief Minister said the Assam Government was in close coordination with the Nagaland Government. He added that a detailed assessment of the causes behind the surge would be undertaken once the immediate flood crisis subsides.

Sarma is scheduled to visit Golaghat district on Thursday to review the flood situation as rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts continue across flood-affected areas of Upper Assam.

 Assam continues to battle one of its worst flood disasters in recent years, with more than nine lakh people affected across 25 districts and over 1,800 villages inundated, while the death toll has risen to 41, according to official figures. The devastating floods have also resulted in the loss of thousands of livestock, adding to the humanitarian and economic burden faced by affected communities across the state.

State government officials attributed the unprecedented flooding to a combination of upstream cloudbursts and exceptionally heavy localised rainfall. Authorities said rainfall levels during the current spell have been recorded at nearly 436 per cent above normal, leading to widespread inundation, including in several areas that have not experienced flooding of such magnitude in recent memory.

In response to the crisis, the Assam Government has launched a coordinated multi-agency relief and rescue operation involving the Indian Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), district administrations and other state agencies.

Rescue personnel are conducting round-the-clock operations using helicopters, motorboats and other specialised equipment to evacuate stranded residents from severely affected areas and deliver emergency supplies to isolated communities. To accommodate displaced residents, the government has established more than 148 relief camps, currently sheltering nearly 30,000 people. Relief camps are providing food, drinking water, medical assistance and other essential services to affected families.

Officials said large-scale relief distribution is underway across the flood-hit districts. In the worst-affected areas alone, more than 3 lakh kilograms of rice and other essential commodities have already been dispatched, with additional supplies being mobilised to meet growing demand.

The administration has also intensified efforts to ensure uninterrupted delivery of relief materials, particularly in remote and inaccessible locations where floodwaters continue to hamper transportation and communication.

While emergency response operations remain the immediate priority, the state government has begun planning for long-term rehabilitation and recovery. Officials said discussions are underway with various departments and the Union Government to formulate a comprehensive rehabilitation package aimed at helping affected families rebuild homes, restore livelihoods and recover from the losses caused by the floods.

The government further indicated that once the flood situation stabilises, it will initiate consultations with neighbouring states to strengthen inter-state coordination on flood management and disaster preparedness. The proposed mechanism is expected to focus on improving information-sharing, early warning systems and coordinated responses to upstream cloudbursts and sudden surges in river water levels that frequently impact Assam during the monsoon season.

With major rivers continuing to flow above danger levels in several locations and large areas still submerged, authorities remain on high alert as rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts continue across the state.