Assam Floods: Elephant Calf Rescued From Gushy Waters Of Chirang's Aie River; CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Shares Heartfelt Video

Assam has been grappling with severe rains and floods over the past few days, affecting over 6.44 lakh people across 19 districts. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared a heartfelt video on X of an elephant calf rescued from the floods, highlighting the monsoon's impact on wildlife.

"Monsoons can be rough even on our gentle giants," wrote Sarma while sharing the video on X. Sarma further mentioned that the calf, found near the Aie River in Chirang, is currently being treated at Manas National Park as efforts are made to reunite it with its mother.

35 Killed Due To Floods In State

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that floods have claimed 35 lives so far, with a recent fatality in Tinsukia district. The second wave of floods has inundated 1,275 villages across 64 revenue circles in 19 districts, including Kamrup, Golaghat, Majuli, Lakhimpur and others. A total of 26,199.18 hectares of crop area has been submerged, according to an ANI report.

Kaziranga National Park is particularly hard-hit, with 95 out of its 233 forest camps flooded. The floodwaters have submerged all 34 camps in the Agratoli range, 20 in the Kaziranga range, 10 in the Bagori range, 5 in the Burapahar range, 6 in the Bokakhat range, and 20 in the Biswanath Wildlife Division. The flooding has forced the evacuation of six camps.

Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, told ANI that a wooden bridge near the Moshguli Camp in the Agratoli Range was washed away by floodwaters. She noted that herds of elephants have started moving towards Karbi Anglong through the Hati Dandi corridor, prompting requests for heavy traffic diversions on NH 715 in the Nagaon and Golaghat districts. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been issued to manage the situation.

Various Measures Taken To Tackle Flood Situation

Rescue teams and veterinary care units are on standby, equipped with boats, barricades, raincoats, rescue materials, and medicines. Various types of boats have been strategically deployed for swift response. Barricades have been placed on highways to control traffic and ensure the safe passage of wildlife.

Additionally, animal sensors are operational, and joint patrolling by commando action groups and forest teams is ongoing. Extra staff from neighboring divisions have been deployed to intensify patrolling, particularly in the fringe areas of the park.

A floodwater gauge station, supported by the Central Water Commission (CWC), has been set up, and a flood monitoring cell has been activated to provide real-time updates and coordinate rescue operations. Health check-ups for staff and elephants are being conducted to ensure their fitness for the flood season.

PM Modi Assures Support For Flood-Affected Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of full support from the Centre in managing the flood crisis during a recent telephone conversation. This assurance underscores the government's commitment to assisting Assam in overcoming the challenges posed by the devastating floods.