Dalai Lama makes donation towards flood relief & rescue efforts in Assam

Guwahati: Even as the floods in Assam have continued to wreak havoc across the state, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has announced that his trust will make a donation towards the ongoing flood relief operations in the state.

Appreciating the State Government for doing "everything it can to rescue those affected and that relief efforts are underway", Dalai Lama said that he is making a donation from the Dalai Lama Trust towards relief and rescue efforts as a "gesture of solidarity with the people of Assam."

Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed his solidarity with the Assam flood victims in a letter written to Sarbananda Sonowal, the Assam Chief Minister.

"The monsoon rains in Assam and other parts of India bring destruction and great suffering to people year after year", Dalai Lama lamented in his letter in which he also announced his decision to aid in the flood relief efforts.

"Unfortunately, this year the situation has been made even more troublesome by the continuing coronavirus pandemic. I am writing to you today to express my sadness at the loss of life and devastation of property, as well as the tremendous hardship caused to so many due to flooding in many parts of your state" the spiritual leader told the Assam CM.

Dalai Lama concluded his letter by offering his deep condolences to the Chief Minister, to families who have lost loved ones and to everyone who has been affected by the flooding".

The floods this year have taken a heavy toll on Assam this year and leftover 39 lakh people (which is 1/10th of the state's population) reeling due to the deluge. At the same time, 49,313 people have been rendered homeless due to the havoc of the floods and are taking shelter in relief camps.

Floodwater has also seeped into the Kaziranga National Park, where 99 camps have been affected and 6 camps have been vacated altogether. At least 76 animals in the national park – including several rhinos – have been killed in this spate of floods. With 4 more deaths on Thursday, the death toll due to floods in Assam this year has risen to 71.

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