Central team to assess flood damage in Assam

Guwahati, July 10 (ANI): A seven member Central team will reach Assam today to assess the damage caused by the floods and landslides.

According to sources, the Central team will be divided into three groups, with one group visiting lower Assam districts, another upper Assam districts and the third will go to Barak Valley and Dima Hasao district. After visiting the flood hit areas they will submit reports.

They are also likely to meet state Chief Secretary Naba Kumar Das on Thursday and hold discussions on flood situations along with rescue and relief measures.

The recent flood, which is the worst in the state in the last eight years, has affected more than 19 lakh people with 23 of the state's 27 districts said to be under water.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi had visited the state to oversee the flood situation on July two last, had announced of providing more financial assistance to the state government based on the assessment report by a Central team.

He had announced an ad-hoc package of Rs 500 crore for relief and rescue operations during the visit.

Addressing a press conference here, Dr, Singh said a large number of mobile health centers have been set up in the region to assist the flood-affected.

Dr. Singh had earlier also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. one lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the kin of each of those killed in the floods.

He had, earlier, assured the Assam Government of all help to deal with the flood situation. He spoke to Defence Minister AK Antony urging full army assistance for the rescue and relief operations in the affected areas. (ANI)