Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi are to make an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Assam today to have a first hand account of the situation. These are the worst floods in the state in eight years. Twenty three of the state's 27 districts are said to be under water. The recent flood has affected more than 19 lakh people. So far 61 people lost their lives in flood and another 16 in landslides.
The PM and the Congress President will be accompanied by high level officials who will take stock of the situation and the relief efforts being made there. PMO sources said they will return by evening. The Prime Minister has already announced an ex-gratia of one lakh rupees from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the kin of each of those killed in the floods and directed the Defence Ministry to provide Army assistance in rescue and relief.
He called up the state's Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 28th to enquire about the condition in the state. The Prime Minister has assured the Assam government of all help to deal with the flood situation. AIR Correspondent reports, the water level is said to be receding in some areas. Twenty four sorties have been carried out by the Indian Air Force helicopters and 4,000 kg of food packets dropped in the flood affected regions.