Assam floods: Kaziranga swamped; over 1.6 mn affected

Flood caused by heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in Assam on Thursday, affecting over 1.6 million people in 22 of the state’s 33 districts.

Updated on: Jul 3, 2020, 08:57:12 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Flood caused by heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in Assam on Thursday, affecting over 1.6 million people in 22 of the state’s 33 districts.

Villagers row country boats through floodwaters in Morigaon district of Assam. (AP)

Nearly 80% area of the Kaziranga National Park, the biggest habitat of one-horned rhinos spread over 430 sq km, is inundated by flood waters. Twenty five animals have died due to various causes including drowning and vehicle-hit while trying to cross roads during floods.

According to park authorities, 73 of the 223 camps used by forest personnel to patrol the park have been inundated and six of them vacated. Carcass of a rhino, which died due to natural causes, was recovered on June 26. According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 1.6 million people in 2,053 villages in 60 revenue circles were affected by floods. On Thursday, one person died due to drowning in Goalpara district, taking the total deaths this season to 34.

As total of 12,597 people uprooted by flooding are taking shelter in 163 relief camps. Over 72,000 hectares of crop area have been inundated by flood waters.

A total of 2,852 persons stranded due to flooding were rescued on Thursday. Several instances of damage to embankments, roads, bridges and erosion were reported from many parts of the state.

According to Central Water Commission (CWC), Brahmaputra continued to flow over the danger mark at Nematighat, Goalpara and Dhubri, Dhansiri breached the danger mark at Numaligarh, Jia Bharali at Sonitpur and Kopili at Dharamtul.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.