The floods have affected almost 2 million people in at least 23 districts across the state in Upper, North and Lower Assam even as two more deaths were reported today, taking the toll to 31.
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The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has lashed out at the BJP-led government in Assam alleging it has failed to deal with the devastating problems of flood, erosion and encephalitis in the state.
Most of the rhinos are “calves” in the age group of three months to one year, said Suvasish Das, district forest officer in charge of the park.
India’s meteorological department has said that heavy rains are likely to continue.
An estimated four million people have been affected in 3,300 villages across the state, with thousands of hectares of agricultural land submerged in the worst flooding since 2004.
Kaziranga National Park is home to 35 species of mammals and has 2400 one-horned rhinoceros, 20,000 hog deer, 100 tigers, 1000 elephants, 1500 wild buffaloes, 1000 swarm dear.
The current flood badly damaged several wild life parks including the Kaziranga. Teams have evacuated people and moved them to relief camps. “We have to try to keep the animals in a safe zone where they feel comfortable”. However not all the elevated platforms could withstand this year’s floods.
The torrential downpour has also reached havoc on the country’s wildlife, killing at least 17 rare one-horned rhinos dead due to the flooding of vast tracts of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, state Envionental officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The situation has also made the rhinos vulnerable to poachers who are taking advantage of the conditions as numerous anti-poaching camps also have faced flooding.
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Seventeen adult rhinos along with deer and other animals have been found drowned in Kaziranga, a 430-square-kilometer protected area of forest in the state of Assam.
