Northeast India: Assam floods kill 66

By Shuriah Niazi and Cheena Kapoor

NEW DELHI (AA) - At least seven people died in floods in northeastern India on Wednesday, bringing the total death toll to 66, according to the Assam state disaster management agency.

“Over 3.6 million residents of 3,376 villages in 26 districts of the state area have been affected. More than 44,000 have been taken to relief camps,” said the agency.

“Our Govt is ensuring uninterrupted supply to food grains, drinking water & medical facilities for people residing in flood relief camps across Assam,” tweeted state Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Local media reports showed widespread damage to roads and bridges and landslides across the state.

Most of the key rivers like the Brahmaputra, Bharali, Kopili, and Kushiyara were flowing above the danger level in several places, said the Central Water Commission.

The flood has severely affected Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, a UNESCO world heritage site, with some 80% the park under water. Sixty-six animals including two rhinos and five wild boars died during the floods. Another 170 animals have been rescued by park authorities, including a one-year-old female rhino calf separated from its mother. The park is the biggest habitat of one-horned rhinos in the world as well as India’s only golden tiger.