GUWAHATI: Celebrity couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas have made donations for Assam flood relief and appealed to people to extend their support to the state.
“While we are all still dealing with the effects of the global pandemic, the Indian state of Assam has been grappling with another major crisis. It has been devastated by floods triggered by heavy monsoon showers affecting the lives of millions. The impact to life and land/property is unimaginable. The rapidly rising water level has also flooded the Kaziranga National Park, one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in the world,” Priyanka tweeted.
She further wrote: “They need our attention and support. I’m sharing details of a few credible organizations that are doing some good work on the ground in Assam, and Nick and I have made a donation to each. Let us support them so they can continue to help those in need.”
Priyanka posted the reference of two organisations - Action Aid and Rapid Response - who are working on the ground to help people. Nick also shared the same message on his social media accounts.
The extent of their donations was not immediately known. The Bollywood diva was the brand ambassador of Assam Tourism for two years between 2016 and 2018.
Meanwhile, one more death on Monday took the flood toll to 103. Twenty-six others were killed in rain-triggered landslides earlier. The situation remained unchanged as major rivers such as Brahmaputra, Dhansiri, Jia Bharali, Beki, and Kopili were flowing above the danger level.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, nearly 23 lakh people from 2,026 villages and localities across 22 of the state’s 33 districts were reeling under the deluge. Altogether 45,565 of them were lodged in 432 relief camps in 17 districts.
The floodwater continued to breach embankments and damage bridges, roads, and houses. The standing crop was under water in over 1.09 lakh hectares of land. Personnel of the State Disaster Response Force and police were engaged in rescue operations.
At the Kaziranga National Park, 132 animals, including 14 rhinos, died till Monday morning due to various reasons including drowning and vehicle hits. The incidents of vehicle hits occurred on a national highway that traverses beside the park.
Flood and river erosion have been Assam’s perennial problems. Several organisations, including the All Assam Students’ Union, had raised a demand in the past to declare these as “national problems”.