Amid worsening floods across the Sivasagar constituency, Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Sunday appealed to residents to stay in touch with him and report flood-related emergencies through a dedicated WhatsApp helpline to facilitate rescue and relief efforts.
In a public appeal, Gogoi said he had remained in constant contact throughout the day with flood-affected residents and senior government officials to coordinate the response. He urged people to send updates on the flood situation in their villages or localities, along with requests for rescue and relief assistance, to his WhatsApp number 8822424271 (WhatsApp messages only).
“I have been in constant touch with flood-affected residents throughout the day. Residents can send information regarding the flood situation in their locality or village, along with requests for rescue and relief assistance, to my WhatsApp number,” Gogoi said.
The MLA said he had been in regular communication with officials of the Sivasagar District Disaster Management Authority, the District Commissioner, the Additional District Commissioner, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), Additional Chief Secretary L. Suisei Changsan, Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Gogoi said he had submitted an urgent memorandum to the Chief Minister seeking immediate rescue operations, the establishment of relief camps, timely distribution of relief materials and an urgent assessment of the damage caused by the floods.
In the memorandum, he stated that incessant rainfall across Assam, coupled with a cloudburst in neighbouring Nagaland, had triggered one of the worst flood situations witnessed in the Sivasagar constituency, inundating several villages and parts of Sivasagar town.
He said rapidly rising floodwaters had cut off transport and communication links, leaving many residents stranded in villages, including Kolgaon and Habichuk in Rangagarah village under the Dulakakharia Panchayat.
Describing the situation as critical, Gogoi urged the state government to deploy aerial rescue operations immediately, saying the water level had risen to such an extent that people trapped in several villages required air evacuation.
According to the MLA, the Chief Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary responded promptly to his appeal and informed him that the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force had been alerted to assist in evacuation and rescue operations if required.
Gogoi also appealed to all Raijor Dal office-bearers and party workers to extend every possible assistance to flood-affected residents during the ongoing crisis.
