The lack of media spotlight is not the only problem, clearly, as the situation is made worse by the slow response of authorities, even as army was called in to assist with relief efforts in the regions of Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Dhemaji and several other districts.
The Brahmaputra river continues to flow over the danger mark in Guwahati as the authorities suspended all boat and ferry services in the river. Embankments were breached, roads and bridges were damaged and thousands of families were left stranded in search of safer areas in regions across the state.
The floods have affected more than 1,76,000 hectares of cropland so far, and an estimated three lakh people are taking shelter at 385 relief camps in 14 districts of the flood-hit state.
Even as the meteorological department predicted even more rainfall in the region in the coming days, hundreds of motorboats were pressed into service by the authorities to ensure safe evacuation of the affected people.
Appealing to the central government to do more to help the state, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi targeted the union minister Sarbananda Sonowal for claiming that the government had released Rs 207 crores so far for relief purposes. Gogoi clarified that the amount was only the first instalment of the promised Rs 414 crore according to the central allocation and requested the government to release the funds quickly to tackle the crisis.
Meanwhile, citizens poured their anger on social media against sections of national media for not highlighting the floods enough in their coverage and also used live pictures around their localities to get attention of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi while asking for help.
Here’s a selection of some of the photos from the flood-hit regions in the state which made their way to social media:
#AssamFlood #DibrugarhFlood pic.twitter.com/4l2qfFPELN
— Amardip Dhaliwal (@amardipdhaliwal) August 31, 2015
#AssamFlood Relief boats being transported to many wards of Dibrugarh town to distribute food to the effected people pic.twitter.com/YXVMAgfFnj
— Oxomiya Jiyori (@SouleFacts) August 31, 2015
today noon #ThanaCharali of Dibrugarh under water flood like situation in #AssamFlood: pic.twitter.com/WUZLDEYfa8
— sudhakar (@naidusudhakar) September 1, 2015
#dibrugarh is now Venice of India #AssamFlood pic.twitter.com/HLlPktl3h4
— DasHahisa (@DasHahisa) August 31, 2015
More than a thousand people has abandoned their homes for safe location at Batahidia char in Chaygaon. #AssamFlood pic.twitter.com/Kv9CpVzSCy
— Aman Wadud (@AmanWadud) September 4, 2015
Since yesterday tirelessly working for flood relief in Dibrugarh #Assam pic.twitter.com/biftT8dQYs
— Bhaskar Papukan (@BhaskarGogoi) August 31, 2015
Flood situation in Assam very dengerers pic.twitter.com/RBOOHSDOTh
— Rajen Chetia (@RajenChetia) August 31, 2015
Should we not think about? #Assam #Flood #Reality_showbiz #Flood_Relief pic.twitter.com/uNzAd0bQZq
— Nituparna Rajbongshi (@NituparnaRaj) September 2, 2015
Flood situation at Pobitora WLS, Assam pic.twitter.com/tpph1krl3G
— Deba Kumar Dutta (@deba_dmj) September 2, 2015
Speedwater jet drive on road at Assam,Dibrugarh Assam worst flood hit.Who cares? @PMOIndia @BJPRajnathSingh @ndtv pic.twitter.com/3yDbw61HKt
— Sergeant Bikash (@bikash63) September 1, 2015
#Assam #flood does not attract so called National TVs. Hope @PMOIndia pays attention! Where is relief? @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/nC7h7nuwQZ
— Amitabh Barooa (@AmitabhBarooa) September 3, 2015
#Assam flood situation deteriorates, 10 lakh people affected pic.twitter.com/l59Un2qJ6v
— TV24 News channel (@TV24India) September 3, 2015
Flood situation in Assam, NE India worsen. An arial view from minister @sarbanandsonwal visit. #FloodInAssam pic.twitter.com/eiMV03IlvJ
— G J Shankar Nath (@gjsnath) September 2, 2015
Assam flood situation grim, over 9 lakh people hit http://t.co/HtB47dWYEO pic.twitter.com/dj9CNMWsxn
— Mahendra Mohan (@Mahi_Mohan89) September 2, 2015
"Flood Waters Affect Over 13 Lakh People in Assam"-NIE. Our heart reaches to them in their suffering @sushmitadevmp pic.twitter.com/JMKr9kIxmy
— Colossal Sushmita (@colossalsusmita) September 4, 2015
Assam is suffering by this dangerous flood, no one even care for this. pic.twitter.com/l4DLRz6sAn
— Chinmoy Sankar Bora (@ChinmoySankar) September 4, 2015
Lakhs affected in Assam, but who cares! What a shame #assamflood pic.twitter.com/QMnrrUgaVr
— Debapriya Mondal (@DebapriyaM15) September 3, 2015
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