Assam floods: 26,681 houses damaged, second phase of relief begins

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that 26,681 houses were damaged in the floods that hit Assam in July. He announced the second phase of immediate interim monetary relief of Rs 15,000 each for affected families in Sibsagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts. The survey to assess losses will be completed by mid-September, the CM said.

Telangana Today reported that one more person drowned in Sivasagar on Monday, taking the flood death toll this year to 105. Around 32,000 people remain affected across four districts, with Nagaon the worst hit. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority said 147 villages are under water and 3,198.77 hectares of crop area have been damaged.

Sarma said that losses assessed so far amount to around Rs 480 crore, but the total could exceed Rs 1,000 crore once the survey is complete. Payments will be made through direct benefit transfer. The state government will ask the Centre to provide new houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to eligible families in Sibsagar and Charaideo.