| Assam floods: Kaziranga animals battle to survive |
| Posted on 07-07-2012 | 08:09:54 IST | DY365 Bureau |
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Guwahati: The floods in Assam have wrecked havoc across the state with death toll mounting to 121 till Saturday. Not only the human life, but the wildlife has also been badly affected with over 540 animals, including 13 rhinos, perishing in the world-famed Kaziranga National Park. Hog deer are the worst hit with 465 of them succumbing to the flood waters which have inundated nearly 80 percent of the Park's area. According to the latest official update, the other casualties include 10 swamp deer, 28 wild boars, five porcupine, 16 sambars and two each of python, wild buffalo and hog badgers. The Park has been flooded since June 26 and within a couple of days nearly 80 per cent of it was inundated with only the natural and artificial highlands spared where the animals fled for shelter. The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger level in Nimatighat in Jorhat and at Dhubri in Lower Assam. It was rising at Nimatighat but recorded a falling trend in Dhubri, a government report said. According to government estimates, over 21 lakh people in all 27 districts of the state have been hit by the first wave of floods that started June 22. More than five lakh people have been rendered homeless. Close to 3,000 villages have been submerged due to floods and large tracts of cropland damaged. More than three lakh people are staying in 405 relief camps set up in 12 districts. The state government had set up 622 relief camps. The devastating floods have caused extensive damage to roads, bridges and approaches to bridges though the actual extent of the damage was yet to be ascertained. Earlier, this week Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced an aid package of Rs 500 crore for the flood-hit Assam. |
