Northeast floods: 14 die, 15 lakh hit

The deteriorating flood situation of the state has not only wreaked havoc on people across the state but has also threatened the lives of precious wildlife in Assam.

With incessant rainfall in northeastern states, the flood situation has turned critical in 19 districts with 14 deaths reported in the state and 15 lakh people affected across Assam.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who is keeping a close watch on situation on Thursday, directed his ministers to visit the worst hit districts to take stock of the situation and intensify relief and rescue operations. Ministers have been assigned responsibility of supervising relief operations in their respective flood-hit districts.

Apart from affecting human life, the flood has also wreaked havoc on wildlife of the state as state forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma said, “This time the flood in Assam is most threatening as it has spread to every district.”

The forest minister who visited the Kaziranga and Manas National Park for assessing the flood situation said, “Kaziranga National Park is situated at the bank of river Brahmaputra and the water level has risen, inundating a vast area of the park forcing animals to flee for shelter. The condition of Manas National Park is serious.”

Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, the joint wildlife welfare facility run by Assam Forest Department, International Fund for Animal Welfare and Wildlife Trust of India have launched operations to rescue wild animals.

Three infant rhino calves were rescued from the fringe villages of Kaziranga National Park on Wednesday. The calves are under observation the CWRC large animal nurseries for stabilization. Altogether five rhino calves rescued in flood are under observation.