PM Modi calls up Himanta, discusses flood situation in Assam

Guwahati, Jun 18: As the death toll increased to 55 due to rain-related incidents in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over phone, enquiring about the current flood situation in the state and assured all possible help from the Centre.

Modi expressed concern over the hardships faced by the people affected by the deluge. "At 6 am today, Hon PM Shri @narendramodi ji called me to enquire about #flood situation in #Assam. While expressing his concerns over the hardships being faced by people due to this natural calamity, Hon PM assured all help from Central Govt.

Humbled by his reassuring generosity," Sarma tweeted. Assam is severely affected by floods with 18.95 lakh people suffering in 28 districts and 55 people dying due to the deluge and landslides in the state this year.

The flood situation in the northeast took a turn for the worse on Friday as incessant rainfall pounded parts of the region for the fourth consecutive day, leaving its major rivers in spate, officials said.

Nine more people, including two children, died in rain-related incidents in Assam, raising the toll in this year's floods and landslides to 55, a bulletin by the state's disaster management authority said.

The deaths were reported from Hojai, Nalbari, Bajali, Dhubri, Kamrup, Kokrajhar, and Sonitpur districts. Two people were also reported missing in Hojai and Sonitpur.