Assam Floods: MLA Mrinal Saikia Walks In Waist-High Water To Rescue People, Livestock

In a video tweeted by Saikia, which has now gone viral, the BJP legislator is seen wading through waist-deep water to help people and livestock marooned because of floods.

"Flood is creating havoc in my constituency..we have been rescuing stranded people from interior places... Livestock is very important for the village economy. Today, I'm happy to save hundreds of stranded goats from many places," Saikia said in a series of tweets.

The MLA has also launched a mobile kitchen to feed the needy.

"During floods, we often find people struggling to cook their food despite they are provided with relief materials. Keeping that in mind, we launched the mobile kitchen service yesterday (Sunday). Our basic objective is to ensure that the inmates of relief camps have access to one square meal a day," the legislator told The New Indian Express.

Speaking about the service last year, Saikia said, "As the floods are an annual phenomenon in Assam, I had bought a four-wheeler last year and fitted some racks on it. The racks were needed to keep the bowls of food. The first day, I spent from my pocket to feed people. When photos of the service went viral on social media, a lot of people came forward to donate. The flow of donation was so big that I had to urge people to stop donating."

While the total death count in this year's floods touched 50, at least six more people lost their lives in rain-related incidents on Monday, July 13. Over 60,000 people had to be evacuated to 480 relief camps as 13 rivers in the state, including the Brahmaputra, flowed above the danger mark.

Massive rescue operations are being carried out in Assam by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).