70% of Kaziranga inundated; animals take shelter on higher grounds

With nearly 70 percent of the area of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) being submerged in flood water, the park authorities have started shifting the animals to higher grounds to prevent them from drowning. In 2017, over 360 animals drowned due to floods in Kaziranga, of which 31 were one-horned rhinos.

Assam: With heavy rains lashing the northeastern state of Assam and the Brahmaputra swelling up, 70 per cent of the area of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) - home to the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceros - stands submerged in flood water. In order to ensure the safety of the animals residing in the national park, the forest officials have been shifting them to higher grounds in and around the park.

As many as 95 camps within the park have also been hit by the deluge.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the government has also cancelled the leaves of all the forest officials.

During such high floods, some animals from the KNP cross the highway attached to the park to migrate to the higher grounds in neighbouring Karbi Anglong district, which is on the other side of National Highway 37.

The vehicles passing through the park area from Jakhalabandha to Numaligarh have been asked to maintain a speed limit of 40km/hour to ensure the safety of the animals.

Time cards are also being issued to vehicles coming from both sides of the Kaziranga National Park to protect the animals from being hunted. Forest guards are also maintaining vigil at night.

Keeping in mind the vulnerability of the animals of being poached, the forest officials have been put on high alert.

Every year, the Brahmaputra takes away chunks of land from Kaziranga National Park, so much so that although on paper the park's total area stands at 1,030 sq km, it has actually been reduced to 884 sq km, and is shrinking further.

In 2017, over 360 animals drowned due to floods in Kaziranga, including 31 one-horned rhinos, according to official data.

Incessant monsoon showers have been wreaking havoc in Assam with 11 of its districts being flooded, affecting over 2.5 lakh people.

Embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and many other infrastructures have been damaged at various places in Barpeta, Udalguri, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Jorhat districts.

Massive erosions have been witnessed at various places of Sonitpur, Udalguri, Jorhat and Barpeta districts.

The Brahmaputra river at Nimatighat in Jorhat, the Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, the Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, the Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup and the Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta are flowing above the danger marks.