Assam floods: Death toll rises to 91

Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 14 (ANI): The flood situation in Assam has claimed 91 lives across the state, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said on Saturday.

Earlier, ASDMA said on Friday that the number of deaths in Assam floods has increased to 90. Seven more people died in the state on Friday, according to an ASDMA report.

According to the Disaster Reporting and Information Management System (DRIMS), the Brahmaputra River in Neamatighat, Tezpur, and Dhubri, the Burhi Dihing tributary in Chenimari (Khowang), the Disang River in Nanglamuraghat, and the Kushiyara River in Karimganj are flowing above danger levels.

Twenty-one districts in the state have been affected, including Cachar, Nalbari, Kamrup, Golaghat, Goalpara, Morigaon, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Nagaon, Hailakandi, Dhemaji, Majuli, Sivasagar, South Salmara, Darrang, Karimganj, Barpeta, Kamrup (M), Biswanath, Chirang, and Jorhat.

While the flood situation in the state has been improving marginally, over 12.33 lakh people are still affected by the deluge.

A total of 2,406 villages under 75 revenue circles and 32,924.32 hectares of crop area were under water.

Dhubri district is the worst affected, with 3,18,326 people impacted, followed by 1,48,609 people in Cachar, 95,277 people in Golaghat, 88,120 people in Nagaon, 83,125 people in Goalpara, 82,494 in Majuli, 73,662 people in Dhemaji, and 63,400 people in South Salmara district.

Over 2.95 lakh people are taking shelter in 316 relief camps and distribution centres in flood-affected districts.

The ASDMA flood report also stated that 6,67,175 animals have been affected by the deluge.

Meanwhile, 180 wild animals, including 10 rhinos, have died in the flood in Kaziranga National Park so far.

Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, said that 10 rhinos, 150 hog deer, 2 swamp deer, and several sambar deer drowned in floodwaters, while 2 hog deer died in vehicle collisions, 13 other animals died under care, and one otter pup died from other causes.

During the floods, park authorities and the forest department rescued 135 animals, including two rhino calves and two elephant calves. Thirty-five forest camps in the national park are still under water.