The flood scene in Assam was grim on Wednesday as the toll rose to 24 with 10 more deaths reported even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took stock of the situation and assured Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of assistance.
Four persons drowned in Baksa district, three in Dhubri, two in Golaghat and one in Jorhat district since Tuesday as 20 districts were reeling under the third wave of floods this season.
Dr Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi had a telephonic talk with Gogoi, official sources said.
Gogoi apprised Dr Singh and Sonia about the situation and said his government had taken up relief and rehabilitation work on a war footing as the current floods had caused large-scale destruction to rice cultivation.
He also informed Dr Singh about the damages to roads, bridges and embankments in the state caused by the floods.
Gogoi had Tuesday written to Dr Singh about Assam's flood scene.
The flood situation was serious in the affected districts even as water was ebbing with decrease in rainfall in most places.
Army, Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force personnel were assisting the district administrations in rescue and relief operations in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Kamrup (Rural), Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Nagaon, Jorhat, Kokrajhar, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Baksa districts.