Assam Floods Have Drowned 70% Of Kaziranga National Park, One-Horned Rhinos Are In Great Danger

The ongoing flood situation across Assam is showing no signs of improving as the rains continue.

In fact, the flood situation is taking a turn for the worst as at least 21 districts in the state have been hit by the floods which have so far claimed seven lives and affected nearly 8 lakh people.

More than 27,000 hectares of farmland have been flooded and 7,000 people have been evacuated to relief camps across the state.

AFP

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority(ASDMA), the affected districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Nalbari, Chirang, Golaghat, Majuli, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Morigaon, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Baksa, Sonitpur, Darrang and Barpeta.

River Brahmaputra and other rivers flowing above the danger mark is a major cause of concern.?

AFP

Parts of the Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger mark due to the heavy rainfall in the region. Subsequently, water has reached near the feet of the statue of Lord Vishnu on the vertical pillar in the river near Chakreshwar Temple in Kalipur.

Sadikul Haque, an official from the Central Water Commission, told ANI: "Water has crossed the danger level by 16 cms and it is expected to rise due to the intermittent rain in the area. It used to flow 2 cms above the mark every year, but this year, the water level is high as compared to past years."

AFP

But it is not just humans that have been affected by the devastating floods.?

Kaziranga National Park, the home of the endangered Indian one-horned rhino is also facing threats from the rising waters. According to ANI 70 percent of the Kaziranga National Park and its 95 camps was submerged under water.

This could be bad news for the rhino population other than elephants and tigers who are also seen in plenty in Kaziranga.?

Officials said animals residing in the national park were taken to the highlands.

AFP/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

Speaking to ANI, of Forest and Environment Minister, Sailen Pande said: "Over 70 percent of the park has been submerged with flood waters."

"However, the state government has taken all precautionary measures to ensure that flood this year does not cause much damage to living creatures."

Adding that rhinos become vulnerable to get poached during the flood, he said: "A special rhino protection force has been deployed by the government to look into it."

This is not the first time Kaziranga has been hit by the annual monsoon floods. Every year dozens of animals who cannot get to the drylands get killed in Kaziranga during the floods.?

2017 was probably the worst when Kaziranga lost more than 200 animals including nine rhinos in the floods.?

In 2016, as many as 16 rhinos were killed in the floods other than dozens of other animals.