PM Modi Calls Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma As flood Situation Worsens | What Causes This Situation Every Year Explained

Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday dialed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to enquire about the current flood situation in the state. The prime minister has assured all possible help from the Centre to the state to manage the current situation. CM Sarma, while addressing the media, said that the  Brahmaputra and all its tributaries are flowing above the danger level and the situation turned critical following heavy rainfall in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah called me and assured of all help to deal with the situation,” the Assam CM said. The NDRF and Army will be on standby to deal with any emergency, he said. “All ministers, MLAs and officials have been asked to closely monitor the situation,” he added.

Altogether 2,70,628 people in 14 districts, including Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, are reeling under the deluge, officials said.

Why do Floods Occur Every Year in the State of Assam?

The state of Assam is one of the most flood-prone states in India. Almost every year, the state witnesses rise in water levels leaving lakhs of people homeless. The floods of 1988, 1998 and 2004 were the worst – the 2004 floods alone affected 12.4 million people and claimed 251 lives.

According to the Assam government published in 2022, Assam has 31.05 lakh hectares of land which is prone to flood, against a total area of 78.523 lakh hectares, which constitutes nearly 40% of the state’s area is flood-prone. Overall, Assam accounts for nearly 10% of the total flood-prone area of the country.

The average annual loss due to floods in Assam is to the tune of Rs 200 crore and particularly in 1998, the loss suffered was about ₹500 crore and during the year 2004 it was about ₹771.00 crore.

There are various other reasons – both man-made and natural – behind the destructive floods that hit Assam every year.

Bank erosion caused by the river Brahmaputra is one of the major reasons why Assam gets flooded every year. It means the removal of soil, sediment, or rock fragments along the banks, which results from high water flow.

According to the Assam government, more than 4.27 lakh hectares of land, which is 7.40 % area of the state, has been eroded by the river Brahmaputra and its tributaries since 1950.