The flood situation in Assam took a serious turn on Sunday as flood waters submerged 43 more villages in Dhemaji, Jorhat and Sivsagar districts and also some parts in Kaziranga National Park (KNP), officials said.
More than 70,000 people of 168 villages in seven districts were affected so far in the first wave of flood in the state.
On Sunday, flood waters submerged 17 villages of Dhemaji district, 15 in Majuli River island and one in Sivsagar district.
Flood waters also entered some parts in KNP.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), flood waters submerged 2333.83 hect. agricultural land in the seven districts.
“The affected people have left their homes and took shelter at schools, highways and highlands,” an official of ASDMA said.
The state government had ordered the district administrations to take necessary action and distributed relief to the flood affected people.
Wild animals of KNP took shelter highlands and some animals had crossed NH-37 and entered in neighbouring Karbi Anglong hills after flood waters submerged some parts under Burapahar, Bagori, Agoratoli forest range in the national park.
“We have monitored and taken steps to protect wild animals including one horned rhinoceros during the flood,” an official of KNP said.
In 2012, Kaziranga lost more than 600 wild animals including 14 rhinos in the worsen flood.
