The flood situation in Assam worsened on Monday, leaving two persons dead and more than 3.63 lakh people in 21 districts affected.
According to an update by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a person each died in Barpeta and Morigaon districts. They drowned after being washed away.
Lakhimpur in northeastern Assam was the worst affected district, accounting for 1,30,001 out of a total of 3,63,135 people temporary displaced. The data showed 1,24,776 of the affected people were females and 70,544 children.
Crop on 30,333.36 hectares and 2,56,144 domesticated animals have also been affected, ASDMA officials said.
According to the State Forest Department, two one-horned rhino habitats – the Kaziranga National Park and the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary – have been partially submerged.
“About 70% of the park has been inundated and 125 of the 223 anti-poaching camps have been submerged, but the water level has been receding in the last few hours,” Kaziranga Director P. Sivakumar said.
Rerouting of goods carriage
On Sunday, the police ordered the rerouting of the goods carriage due to the flooding of Kaziranga and the resultant migration of animals from the park southward to the hills of Karbi Anglong district across the National Highway 715.
This was done after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reacted to speeding vehicles killing three hog deer that were dashing across the highway to the relative safety of the hills. The Kaziranga floods have so far killed three hog deer.
Heavy commercial vehicles to and from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts further east have accordingly been diverted via NH 15 on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra. This would entail a detour via the Bogibeel Bridge near Dibrugarh and Kaliabhomora Bridge near Tezpur.
The rerouting will be in force until the flood situation improves significantly.
“Even if there is a 30% reduction of vehicles, it will be easier for us to manage the animals and the traffic since many drivers need sensitisation to drive slow,” Mr. Sivakumar said.
The Transport Department has set up seven speed guns at critical stretches of the highway along Kaziranga and issued time cards for vehicles to reach from one extreme point to the other by or beyond the stipulated time at 40 kph.
