Guwahati, June 28: As Assam reels under heavy rain-induced flooding across the state, Google has launched a new SOS threat alert feature on its Maps app.

With the help of local civic agencies and reliable information from the news outlets, Google is offering the latest updates on flood situations in Assam and other relevant details such as relief camp locations, helpline numbers, and more on top of the search results.

Furthermore, Google has donated $500,000 to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to support community-based organizations working to provide emergency support and long-term recovery in the affected areas in Assam, parts of North-Eastern India, and Bangladesh.

Also, Google has introduced options for potential donors to offer monetary funds via Google Pay to genuine NGOs– Spots for Smile Foundation and Goonj- who are carrying out critical flood relief work in Assam. More organisations will be added in the coming days.

Eight more persons died on Monday due to floods in Assam, pushing the toll up to 135, according to data from the state disaster management authority.

Five persons died in the Cachar district on Monday, while one each died in Kamrup, Morigaon, and Nagaon. One resident of Cachar is missing, according to the disaster management body.

However, there was some improvement in the situation as the population adversely affected by the floods declined on Monday to 21,52,415 persons in 22 districts. On Sunday, 22,21,577 persons in 28 out of 35 districts were affected.
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Biswanath, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Hojai, Karbi Anglong West, and South Salmara were no more on the list of affected districts on Monday. Only one river – the Kopili in Dharamtul village of Morigaon district – was still flowing above the danger level, according to the disaster management authority.

But, more than 1.91 lakh persons were still staying in 538 relief camps across the state. Silchar is the worst-affected area as the lives of more than two lakh residents living in 138 villages have been hit due to floods.

On Monday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held a meeting with officials of the Public Works Department to chalk out the redevelopment of several infrastructure projects.