India floods: Thousands evacuated in Assam as river banks burst

The Brahmaputra River, one of the world’s largest rivers that flows from Tibet into India, burst its banks in the northeastern state of Assam over the weekend, flooding more than 2,000 villages.

More than a million people have been affected across the state due to the flooding, which also inundated parts of the Kaziranga National Park, home to the world’s largest concentration of one-horned rhinos.

Nearly 250 relief camps have been set up in more than 20 districts where nearly 30,000 people have taken shelter.

National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed to rescue people in the flood-affected areas.

The floods killed more people on Wednesday, taking the total number of deaths in Assam this monsoon season to 33.

Floods have affected crops on more than 75,700 hectares (187,059 acres) of land.

Assam, famous for its tea plantations, is hit by seasonal flooding each year, forcing state and federal governments to spend millions of rupees on flood control.

The rising floodwaters have also inundated parts of the Kaziranga National Park. More than 70 percent of the park, a World Heritage Site, is underwater.

So far 18 animals have died during the floods, including at least one rhino.

Seven hog deer died after being hit by vehicles as they tried to cross the national highway to escape the rising floodwaters.

Every year, the highway becomes a death trap for animals fleeing the inundated grasslands for safer grounds in the hilltops of the Karbi Anglong district.

Herds of elephants, deer and other animals have been seen struggling to make for higher ground.

As the seasonal rains are likely to continue in the days ahead, the threat of further flooding remains.