assam-floods-death-toll-rises-to-52-displaces-over-21-lakh

The devastating floods in Assam have claimed six more lives, including two children, bringing the death toll to 52 since May.

 

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that despite a slight dip in the water levels of the Brahmaputra and other rivers on Thursday, the flood situation remains dire with 21.13 lakh people displaced.

 

More than 39,300 individuals among the flood-hit populace have sought refuge in 247 relief camps.

 

Western Assam's Dhubri and northern Assam's Darrang are the worst-affected districts, with 6.49 lakh and 1.9 lakh people displaced, respectively, according to an ASDMA spokesperson.

 

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attributed the worsening flood conditions to the breaching of at least eight strategic embankments, exacerbated by heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan.

 

Impact on Kaziranga 

 

The floods have also severely impacted the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, spanning 1,307.49 sq. km.

 

Floodwaters have claimed the lives of 31 animals, including 30 hog deer and one otter pup. 

 

However, forest guards have successfully rescued 82 animals, among them a two-month-old rhino.

 

"The situation has seen slight improvement over the last 24 hours, with 95 of the 233 anti-poaching camps now under water up to 5 feet, compared to 179 camps on Wednesday," a park official stated.

 

Heavy rainfall has also wreaked havoc in other northeastern states.

 

Officials in Arunachal Pradesh reported that at least seven districts in the central and eastern regions, including Lohit, Changlang, Anjaw, and East Siang, have been cut off due to landslides caused by flash floods.

 

In the past 48 hours, rain-induced landslides and floods have claimed the lives of eight people, including two children, in Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.