Flood-hit Northeast: Modi expresses anguish over situation, promises help

Six people died in Assam on Tuesday after conditions worsened in the wake of a deluge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed anguish over the flood situation in various parts of the Northeast and promised all possible help from the Centre.

He said he had asked Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju to personally supervise the rescue and relief operations and facilitate all possible help needed.

The prime minister said he had spoken to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and officials, both in Delhi and the states, on the flood situation.

He also reviewed the situation arising out of flood and other natural calamities in the North Eastern states during the monthly meeting of Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI), a multi-modal platform through which he interacts with top officials of state governments via tele-conferencing.

He assured the states of all possible help from the Centre, a PMO statement said.

"I am anguished by the situation arising due to floods in various parts of the Northeast. I share the pain of all those affected by floods," Modi tweeted.

"The entire nation stands with the people of Northeast during this time. Centre assures all possible help to normalise the situation," he added in another tweet.

Modi had spoken to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday and assured him of all central help.

In Assam, the flood situation deteriorated further on Tuesday, with six more people losing their lives and over 15 lakh people across 23 districts affected by the deluge.

With this, the toll in this year's flood related cases has gone up to 39, including eight in Guwahati, an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report said.

Five persons were killed and nine went missing yesterday as a massive landslide triggered by incessant rains hit eight dwellings in Arunachal Pradesh's Papum Pare district.