Assam flood claims five more lives, toll rises to 36

Flood situation in Assam continued to be critical with five more deaths reported from three districts taking the toll to 36.
A person was washed away by the rising waters of Brahmaputra in Mayong circles of Morigaon district and two deaths were reported from Dibrugarh and Goalpara districts, a release by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) today said.
Around 16 lakh people of 2,080 villages in 21 districts have been affected while cropland of 1,72,308 hectares have been inundated, the release said, adding the state government has set up 320 relief camps where 2,06,679 people have taken shelter.
Huge infrastructure damages have also been reported and their extent is still being assessed.

The Kaziranga National Park, famed for its one-horned rhino, has been flooded with the animals moving to the highlands in the neighbouring hills of Karbi Anglong.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district, home to the densest population of one-horned rhinos in the world, has also been inundated by the deluge, forcing wild animals there to move to safer high grounds.

The district administration officials said link roads to Pobitora Sanctuary were breached at several places.
The Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger mark at Dibrugarh town, Nematighat in Jorhat district, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Guwahati, Goalpara town and Dhubri town, the ASDMA release added.

The flood affected areas are Dhemaji, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Goalpara, Morigaon, Cachar, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Kamrup, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Kamrup (Metro), Dhubri and Nagaon districts.