10 more deaths take toll to 28 in floodhit Assam

Floods continued to wreak havoc across Assam for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday submerging large areas in 25 of the state’s 33 districts.

With 10 more deaths reported from eight of the affected districts, the total death toll in the second wave of floods rose to 28. The first deluge in July had resulted in 84 deaths.

Over 1.67 lakh people displaced by floods continue to be sheltered in 545 relief camps. More than 33.27 lakh people remain affected and 3,186 villages are inundated.

The Brahmaputra continued to flow above danger level at 5 places — Neematighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri. Seven other smaller rivers crossed the red mark at one place each. Units of national and state disaster response forces continued rescue operations in the worst-affected districts. More than 14,000 flood-affected people were shifted to safer areas on Tuesday using 232 boats.

Breaches and erosion of embankments were reported from Kokrajhar, Nagaon and Golaghat districts. This season’s floods, termed the ‘worst in decades’, have damaged crops in over 3.19 hectares of land. 1999 2006 Kaziranga needs more area to accommodate the increasing rhino population. The Assam government has increased the area of Kaziranga from 429 sq km to 899 sq km over the years. Rhinos are also being translocated from Kaziranga to Manas National Park and Burachapori Wildlife sanctuary 2009 2013 2015