With the Assam flood toll at 62 and over 7 lakh people still affected, actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar has urged citizens to support relief and rehabilitation efforts in the state. Bhumi shared a video on Instagram appealing for donations of food, mattresses, sanitation supplies and other essentials. Speaking to us, she says, “At this point, large parts of the country have come together for a unified voice. A lot of other important things across the country are not getting a platform, and one of those things is the Assam floods.”

The actor says she became aware of the scale of the crisis after being contacted by someone involved in relief work. “That’s when I realised how disastrous the entire situation is... dead bodies are floating… and the amount of cattle that has been swept away in the flood.”

Calling for citizen-led support, she adds, “Of course we have our Army on ground, and the government is doing what they can do. But I really appeal to all citizens… the way they came together last year for the Punjab floods via citizen-led initiatives, people going on boats to distribute food, we need to come together for this too.”