News Desk: The flood in Assam has once again reached its epic proportion as it has affected more than 70 Lakh people. More than 80 people have been killed in the floods.
Just like humans, animals too are at risk and have posed a major threat to their habitats. According to an official report, more than 90% of the forest area of Kaziranga National Park has been flooded by rainwater. Till now at least 116 wild animals have been killed due to drowning or hit by a vehicle.
According to officials of the Forest Department and Kaziranga Park, many tigers and rhinos have strayed into nearby villages and higher locations due to flooding of their habitats.
Park and Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said over 90 percent of the park’s 430 sq. km area have been flooded. Traffic movement on the National Highway-37 near Kaziranga remains suspended. 11 rhinos, 88 hog deer, seven wild boars, four wild buffaloes, two swamp deer, two porcupines and one sambar, and one python have so far perished in the floodwater or after hits by vehicles on the National Highway-37.
As reported by an official, a total of 143 animals have been rescued by Tuesday. Of the rescued animals, 110 were hog deer, four tigers, two rhinos, 17 pythons, and three turtles. Officials said that 16 hog deers died during treatment while 117 animals have been released into the forest area after treatment.
In Assam itself, so far 9,45,600 big animals, 4,74,629 small animals, and 9,70,123 poultry have also been affected. As such, the risk of animals suffering from the flood has increased rapidly. The ravaging annual floods have claimed more than 80 lives so far in Assam.
A total of 24 districts are reeling under floodwaters, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
Image Source: Internet