The Asian Age

Kaziranga flooded, over 13K hit

Animals at Park move towards Karbi Anglong hills

- MANOJ ANAND

The first wave of flood has hit the Kaziranga National Park and over 13,000 people in Assam.

Disclosing that over 30 per cent areas of 858-sqkm park has already been inundated in the floodwater, the park authoritie­s said that almost all the low-lying areas of the park are under water and animals have started moving towards the hills of Karbi Anglong district.

Pointing out that park authoritie­s have strengthen­ed security as poachers take advantage of the flood to kill animals, particular­ly one-horned rhinos, the park authoritie­s said that they could not complete the constructi­on of 33 highlands meant to provide shelter to animals during the floods.

The park authoritie­s said that they have deployed additional 100 forest guards to take care of animals during the flood and also artificial highlands were constructe­d to provide additional support to wildlife to escape deluge.

Meanwhile, incident of landslides in North Cachar Hills in the hilly Dima Hasao district have snapped the rail link to Barak Valley. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) had to cancel a passenger train to Silchar from Lumding on Saturday after the incident of landslides.

The Brahmaputr­a river is flowing above the danger level in Nimatighat, prompting officials to suspend ferry services to the island district of Majuli from Jorhat.

Assam Disaster Management Authority officials said the first wave of floods have affected 28 villages in Lakhimpur, Jorhat and Biswanath districts.

The Assam government has already instructed the officials in flood-prone districts to arrange relief and rescue materials to handle the emergency situations.

The Army, along with the civil administra­tion, is also carrying out a joint exercise at various places across state to train locals to rescue the marooned people from flood prone areas.

 ?? — PTI ?? Farmers harvest paddy at flood-hit Mayong village in Morigaon district of Assam on Tuesday.
— PTI Farmers harvest paddy at flood-hit Mayong village in Morigaon district of Assam on Tuesday.

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