Flood-hit Assam needs our attention and assistance, urges Sunil Chhetri

New Delhi, July 17

Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri on Friday said the flood-hit north-eastern state of Assam needs immediate attention and assistance as it battles loss of lives and displacement of people in many of its submerged districts.

The floods have so far claimed more than 70 lives and displaced nearly 40 lakh people in 26 districts of the state.

Nearly 90 per cent of the Kaziranga National Park is reportedly submerged.

Seeking to draw the country’s attention to the disaster that has hit the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Chhetri wrote on his twitter handle, “Along with the prayers, Assam needs as much attention and help as possible to recover from the floods it is under.”

“There’s been considerable loss of life – both man and animal, and I can only sincerely hope that the numbers don’t rise.”     

The talismanic footballer is one of the first from the sporting fraternity to raise concerns around the floods in Assam.

Floods are a recurrent feature during the monsoons in Assam and have claimed many lives over the last many years as the government – both past and present – struggle to find ways to control the raging waters and bring down the death toll. PTI