India

Over 130 wild animals, including six rare rhinoceroses dead in Assam floods

Animals suffered extensively in the flood-affected Majuli district of Assam. [Photo: X/ Humanitarian Aid International]

Over 130 wild animals, including six rare rhinoceroses, have died due to ongoing flooding at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, north-eastern India. This incident is one of the worst in recent years for the park, which is famous for its endangered one-horned rhinoceros population.

The park experienced a similar disaster in 2017 when over 350 animals died from floods and vehicle collisions during migration. The current floods have claimed the lives of 117 hog deer, two sambar deer, a rhesus macaque, and an otter, many of which drowned as waters surged through the park.

Efforts to mitigate the impact have seen some success, with officials rescuing 97 animals. Currently, 25 animals are receiving medical treatment, and 52 have been released back into safe habitats after treatment.

Heavy monsoon rains have also affected local communities, impacting approximately 18 million people. The situation remains critical with ongoing heavy rainfall predicted by meteorologists.

The Indian Meteorological Department forecasts widespread rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning over the Andaman-Nicobar Islands, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, and Northeast India for the next five days. Light to moderate rainfall is expected in Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha during this period.

Heavy rainfall is predicted in Jharkhand on July 12-13, Odisha on July 13, and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on July 10 and 13. Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim can expect heavy to very heavy rainfall on July 10-11, while Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya will face similar conditions from July 10-13.

Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is expected over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on July 10-11, and in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya on July 10.

In response, red warnings (indicating immediate action required) have been issued for Sikkim and Himalayan West Bengal on July 10-11, and for Arunachal Pradesh on July 10, with these regions moving to orange alerts (be prepared) until July 13. Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh are under orange alerts from July 10-12, and Assam faces similar conditions on July 10-11.

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