The flood situation in Assam remained critical on Wednesday after six more people lost their lives over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll during this year’s monsoon season to 95.

According to the state’s Disaster Reporting and Information Management System (DRIMS), widespread flooding continues to affect rural and urban areas, with more than 1.6 lakh people impacted across 563 villages.

Of the six latest deaths, five were linked to the general flood situation. Two fatalities each were reported from Biswanath and Sivasagar districts, while one person died in Golaghat. Another person lost their life due to urban flooding in the Mayong revenue circle of Morigaon district. One person has also been reported missing in Udalguri district.

The Dhansiri (South) river at Numaligarh continues to flow above the danger level, prompting authorities to keep 14 districts on high alert. These districts are Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Biswanath, Dhemaji, Kamrup (M), Jorhat, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Nagaon, Darrang, Karbi Anglong and Udalguri.

Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district

Among the affected areas, Sivasagar has recorded the highest number of affected residents, with more than 57,000 people impacted. Golaghat and Jorhat are the next worst-affected districts.

Floodwaters have also caused significant damage to infrastructure. According to DRIMS, seven major embankment breaches have been reported, including five in Biswanath at Brahmajan and two in Darrang’s Mangaldoi area. A steel bridge at Cholapothar in Charaideo and a footbridge in Tangla, Udalguri, have also sustained damage.

Agricultural losses have mounted as nearly 16,951 hectares of cropland remain submerged. The floods have also affected more than 35,000 livestock, while around 8,500 animals, mostly in Sivasagar district, have been washed away.

Urban flooding disrupts normal life

Urban flooding continues to affect Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon and Jorhat districts, impacting 734 people.

In Kamrup (M), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and District Disaster Response Force (DDRF) personnel used boats to evacuate 80 people from waterlogged localities, including Satgaon and Hatigaon. Partial waterlogging continues to disrupt daily life in Guwahati’s Juripar and Anil Nagar areas.

The state government has stepped up relief measures by operating 45 relief camps, where 12,356 people are currently taking shelter. Another 59 relief distribution centres are supplying essential items, including rice, dal, salt and cattle feed, to more than 32,000 people.

Authorities are continuing to monitor river levels as the meteorological department has forecast more rainfall in the catchment areas, raising concerns that the flood situation could worsen further.

Seventeen people were injured after an Air India flight travelling from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence, with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu saying the disturbance lasted for nearly five minutes. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, while four cabin crew members continue to receive medical treatment.

The Airbus A320neo operating flight AI2379 was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members when it experienced severe turbulence around an hour before landing in Delhi.

According to the minister, passengers recalled that the turbulence lasted between four and five minutes, during which those injured faced significant difficulty inside the aircraft.

Four crew members remain under medical care

The minister said some of the injured cabin crew sustained spinal injuries near the neck and tailbone. Doctors have advised continued medical observation for the affected crew members.

Air India confirmed that all 13 passengers admitted to hospital following the incident have now been discharged. However, four cabin crew members continue to receive treatment.

The airline said its teams remain at the hospitals to support the injured crew members and assist affected passengers and their families.

Medical teams responded immediately after landing

According to the Civil Aviation Minister, medical teams were deployed as soon as the aircraft landed in Delhi.

Passengers received first aid at the airport, while those requiring further medical attention were shifted to Medanta and Fortis hospitals.

The minister also praised the cabin crew, saying they continued assisting passengers for nearly an hour after sustaining injuries until the aircraft landed safely.

DGCA analysing cockpit voice and flight data recorders

The incident is being investigated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

According to the minister, the aircraft has been moved to a separate hangar, while investigators are examining both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) to determine what caused the severe turbulence.

He said the findings will be made public once the investigation is completed.

A petrol bomb was thrown at the ancestral home of former Bangladesh cricket captain and former Awami League MP Shakib Al Hasan on Wednesday night, just hours after he appeared virtually at a press conference alongside former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The incident took place at Shakib Al Hasan’s family residence in the Keshabmor area of Magura town. According to the information provided, the property was also vandalised during the attack.

Attack follows Sheikh Hasina’s virtual address

The attack reportedly occurred at around 8:45 pm local time, shortly after Sheikh Hasina addressed a virtual press conference organised at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi.

Following the incident, the Awami League issued a statement alleging that the attack was linked to Shakib Al Hasan’s participation in the press conference. The party also claimed that several political groups had publicly warned media organisations against reporting on the event.

The statement described the attack as a consequence of attending the press conference and accused opponents of carrying out a campaign against Awami League leaders and supporters.

Sheikh Hasina says she will return to Bangladesh

During her virtual address, Sheikh Hasina said she intended to return to Bangladesh in December despite the risks she claimed she could face.

“My return is not about power, it’s about putting Bangladesh back on track of development, secularism and prosperity,” she said.

The former prime minister also said she was prepared to face arrest or even death upon her return, adding that she wanted to be with the people of Bangladesh.

Hasina has been living in India since August 5, 2024, after leaving Bangladesh following the collapse of her government amid months of anti-government protests.

According to the information provided, a special tribunal in Dhaka sentenced her to death in absentia in November over alleged crimes against humanity related to the 2024 crackdown on student-led protests. Bangladesh has since sought her extradition from India.

Bangladesh had sought clarification from India

During the press conference, Sheikh Hasina appealed to the international community to support what she described as Bangladesh’s struggle for democracy and justice. She also alleged that organised groups had turned the 2024 protests into a violent political campaign.

Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and several Awami League leaders, including former Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, also participated virtually.

The press conference had already attracted diplomatic attention, with Bangladesh reportedly seeking clarification from New Delhi earlier this week over Hasina’s decision to address the media from Indian territory.