More than 14,000 people in Assam are currently taking shelter in relief camps across the state with a sudden escalation in the flood situation over the past two days. On Thursday, the state recorded its first flood-related death this year, in Tamulpur district.

The monsoon hit Assam on June 10. Till Tuesday evening, the total number of people affected by floods in the state was 34,089. As of Tuesday, there was only one relief camp with 56 inmates.

However, the number of people affected rapidly rose to 1,19,830 by Wednesday evening and 4,95,799 by Thursday evening.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority CEO Gyanendra Dev Tripathi said 14,035 people are living in 83 relief camps across 11 districts. As many as 22 out of the state’s 31 districts are hit by floods.

Western Assam districts of Bajali, Nalbari, and Barpeta are the worst hit, affecting 2,60,385 people, 77,702 and 65,221, respectively.

Nalbari has the highest number of displaced people – 3,816 in 32 relief centres.

Explaining the additional challenge, district Deputy Commissioner Gitimoni Phukan said most of the designated relief centres have been submerged. “People are being evacuated and moved to relief camps, if possible. Where they have been submerged, we are arranging camp-like set-ups on embankments and roads, or taking them to any building, wherever we are finding the space. We are also providing dry rations to people and if they are unable to cook, we are providing cooked food,” she said.

Rescue operations are being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire & Emergency Services, and local volunteers. Nineteen boats have been deployed across six districts and 561 people have been rescued so far.

With rainfall abating in many parts of the state on Thursday, the situation is expected to improve in the coming days. “The weather was a bit better today and there is a better forecast for the days to come, so we hope for an improvement in the situation,” said Baksa DC Masanda Pertin.

The IMD has not issued any orange or red alerts for any district in Assam.

“Hopefully, we will have respite for a few days but another round of heavy rainfall is likely after June 26 and the severity of the floods may increase again,” said Tripathi.