Assam CM Addresses Flood Crisis Amidst Cloudburst Controversy
Chief Minister's Response to Flood Allegations
Assam CM interacting with the affected families during his flood review visit to Upper Assam districts (Photo: @himantabiswa/X)
Guwahati, July 22: On Wednesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized that the Assam government was promptly notified about the cloudburst in Nagaland's Mon district, refuting claims that poor inter-state coordination exacerbated the severe flooding in Upper Assam.
During a press briefing in flood-affected Charaideo, Sarma stated that the Nagaland government alerted Assam's Chief Secretary within just 10 minutes of the incident.
However, he noted that this notification had limited impact since floodwaters had already begun to surge downstream.
"The notification from Nagaland's government reached Assam's Chief Secretary within 10 minutes of the cloudburst, but what difference did it make? We had only about an hour and a half, and by that time, the water was already flowing downstream," the Chief Minister remarked.
Sarma's comments followed criticisms from Assam Congress president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi, who questioned the coordination between Assam and its neighboring northeastern states, particularly Nagaland. Gogoi alleged that the lack of timely communication regarding the upstream cloudburst intensified the flood crisis in Upper Assam.
Gogoi asserted that Assam did not receive prior warning about the cloudburst, which is believed to have caused the sudden flooding in downstream districts. He called for a systematic approach to ensure real-time sharing of weather and disaster information among neighboring states.
In response to these allegations, Sarma clarified that the floods currently affecting Upper Assam are significantly different from the usual monsoon floods.
"This is not a typical flood situation. The cloudburst in Nagaland's Mon district resulted in an unprecedented influx of water into Assam," he explained.
Meanwhile, Gogoi continued his visit to flood-affected regions within the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency, urging the state government to enhance relief and rehabilitation efforts.
"During this challenging time, providing timely relief, safe shelter, healthcare, and rehabilitation for every affected family should be the utmost priority. I urge the government to bolster relief operations, offer adequate compensation to families who have lost loved ones, and expedite efforts to restore normalcy," Gogoi stated in a social media update.
The Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha mentioned that he engaged with affected residents, officials, and volunteers involved in relief efforts to evaluate the situation on the ground.
"The flood situation across Assam, including various areas of Jorhat, remains alarming. Families have been displaced, homes and livelihoods have been severely impacted, and precious lives have been lost," he added, noting that the Congress party would continue to monitor the situation closely and address the issue in relevant forums.
Significant portions of Upper Assam, including Charaideo, Sivasagar, and Jorhat districts, remain submerged following the sudden influx of water from rivers originating in the Naga Hills after the cloudburst in Mon district.
Compounding the situation, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rainfall in isolated areas across Assam over the next four days, raising concerns that the flood situation may deteriorate further.