GUWAHATI: Devastating floods in Assam have claimed the lives of five more people in the past 24 hours, bringing the total flood-related deaths to 84, according to the Disaster Reporting and Information Management System Assam.
Approximately 1.439 million residents across 27 districts have been affected by the deluge, which has submerged 2,580 villages under 86 revenue circles.
Currently, 157,000 people are seeking refuge in 365 relief camps and distribution centres.
The Brahmaputra River continues to flow above the danger level at several points, including Nematighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, and Dhubri.
On Thursday, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Guwahati forecasts light to moderate rainfall in Assam and neighbouring areas over the next 24 hours, potentially impacting flood recovery efforts.
“Flood water is receding in many parts of the state. If the rain stops, the condition will continue to improve,” a senior official of ASDMA was quoted by a national news agency.
Meanwhile, Kaziranga National Park has witnessed the loss of 159 wild animals due to devastating floods, the park authorities confirmed this grim toll on Wednesday.
Field Director Sonali Ghosh told the press that among the casualties, 128 hog deer, 9 rhinos, 2 swamp deer, and 2 sambar succumbed to drowning in floodwaters.
Additionally, 12 hog deer, one swamp deer, a rhesus macaque, and an otter pup passed away while under care.
Two hog deer fell victim to vehicle collisions, and another otter pup met an unfortunate fate for reasons yet unknown.
Despite the challenges, the park authorities and forest department has been working tirelessly and has rescued 133 animals during the flood crisis.
Thankfully, 111 of these animals have been successfully released after receiving necessary treatment, reports suggest.
Currently, seven rescued animals—including two rhino calves and two elephant calves—are undergoing treatment.
While the flood situation has slightly improved on Julu 11, 62 forest camps remain submerged, and four camps have been evacuated.
Kaziranga National Park houses a total of 233 forest camps.
