Assam floods leave 77 dead; Manmohan, Sonia to visit

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi will be visiting flood-affected areas of Assam on Monday. The state is witnessing its worst flood disaster in perhaps a decade, with nearly 77 people dead so far, six missing and 19 lakh affected. All of the state's 27 districts are said to be under water. The neighbouring state of Meghalaya has not been spared either, with 75,000 people rendered homeless in the floods.

The Brahmaputra and the Kapili rivers are said to be flowing above the danger mark at various places. The Kaziranga and other wildlife sanctuaries in Assam are submerged.

The PM and the Congress President will take an aerial survey of the Majuli island in Assam. They will be accompanied by high level officials who will take stock of the situation and the relief efforts being made there. PMO sources said they will return by evening.

The neighbouring state of Meghalaya has not been spared either, with 75,000 people having been rendered homeless so far.

Singh has already announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the kin of each of those killed in the floods and directed the Defence Ministry to provide Army assistance in rescue and relief.

He called up the state's Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 28 to enquire about the condition in the state.

The Prime Minister has assured the Assam government of all help to deal with the flood situation there. He also spoke to Defence Minister AK Antony "urging full Army assistance for the rescue and relief operations in the affected areas".

The water level is said to be receding in some areas. Twenty four sorties have been carried out by the Indian Air Force helicopters and 4,000 kg of food packets dropped in the flood affected regions.

(With additional information from PTI)

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)