Guwahati: The Indian Army has rescued more than 200 stranded civilians from flood-affected areas of Upper Assam under Operation Jal Rahat, as rescue and relief efforts intensify in regions inundated by rising river waters.
The Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), Tezpur, four Flood Relief Columns of the Red Shield Division, operating under the aegis of the Spear Corps, were deployed on 20th July at the request of the civil administration to assist in rescue, evacuation and relief operations in the districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat.
The relief teams are operating in Nazira and Amguri in Sivasagar district, Sonari in Charaideo district and several parts of Jorhat district, with support from other formations under the Spear Corps.
Equipped with rescue boats, medical teams, engineering equipment and relief supplies, Army personnel have evacuated stranded residents, including families marooned by floodwaters. They have also provided emergency medical assistance and distributed essential relief materials.
The Army said helicopter reconnaissance sorties and drone surveillance are being carried out to assess the flood situation and facilitate the deployment of rescue resources. Engineering detachments have also been deployed to restore connectivity in areas where roads and other infrastructure have been damaged.
The operations are being conducted in close coordination with the district administrations of Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat, as well as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other civil agencies. Additional resources have been kept on standby for immediate deployment as the flood situation continues to evolve.
Meanwhile, water levels in the Brahmaputra and several of its tributaries have continued to rise following incessant rainfall across Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
As per the Central Water Commission, the Desang River at Desangpani in Charaideo district is flowing above its previous highest flood level. The Dikhow, Buridehing, Brahmaputra and Dhansiri (South) rivers are also flowing above the danger mark or remain in severe flood conditions.
Officials said the latest wave of flooding has affected 580 villages across 30 revenue circles in Assam. Teams of the NDRF and SDRF have been deployed in the worst-affected districts, including Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat, to support ongoing rescue and relief operations.