Assam floods: 17 animals drown, 72 rescued in Kaziranga National Park

Seventeen wild animals, including a rhino calf and several hog deer, have drowned in the flood-stricken Kaziranga National Park. Forest authorities have managed to rescue 72 animals amidst the ongoing crisis, according to park officials.

Field Director Sonali Ghosh reported that the park authorities, alongside the forest department, have saved a variety of wildlife: 55 hog deer, two otter infants, two sambar deer, two scops owls, one rhino calf, one Indian hare, and one jungle cat. Of the rescued animals, 32 are currently receiving treatment, while 25 have been released back into the wild.

The flood situation in Kaziranga remains severe, with 173 forest camps still submerged. Across Assam, floods have claimed 46 lives, including eight fatalities on Wednesday. Over 16.25 lakh people in 29 districts are affected by the second wave of flooding, impacting districts such as Goalpara, Nagaon, Nalbari, Kamrup, Morigaon, Dibrugarh, and Sonitpur.

More than 3.86 lakh people are taking refuge in 515 relief camps and distribution centers established by the administration across 24 affected districts. Additionally, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that 11,20,165 animals are impacted by the floods.

Rescue operations are being conducted by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services, local administration, Indian Army, and paramilitary forces. On Wednesday alone, 8,377 people were rescued from the flood-hit areas.