The country may presently be battling the coronavirus pandemic, but the eastern states of Bihar and Assam are being faced with the additional challenge caused due to extreme flooding. These states are seeing widespread loss of life and property and since a great degree of resources have to be expended just in order to help out those in the flood affected areas, battling the coronavirus pandemic has appeared as a much greater challenge before the state governments.
But while people in states like Assam and Bihar are having to face great hardships and difficulties, the wildlife and animals too are having a difficult time.
Assam is famous for housing the famous Kaziranga nation park and reserve and its exotic animal species such as the one horned rhinoceros. The implication of the flooding is such that 100 animals from the Kaziranga reserve along with ten one-horned rhinoceroses have lost their lives already due to the floods.
The flooding of the national park and reserve and the pathetic condition of the animals prompted Britain’s Prince William and his wife to write a detailed letter to the park authorities expressing their worry and concern regarding the welfare and life of the animals.
The flooding of the Kaziranga reserve has captured the attention of the national media and even invited the attention of the international media. There isn’t a doubt about the fact that the floods have wrecked havoc inside the national park and tiger reserve and the animals aren’t in the best of possible circumstances inside the reserve due to the ongoing flood situation.
The swollen river body near the park had already claimed the lives of 10 one-horned endangered rhinoceroses that the park is internationally acclaimed for. The flooding that is presently being witnessed by Assam is due to incessant monsoons that has led to erosion of embankments, swelling of rivers and widespread destruction due to massive water flow not just in parts of Indian but also in Bangladesh and Nepal.
The extent of these floods can be estimated by the fact that they have displaced 9.6 million people and already more than 550 people have been killed due to the floods. With millions of people being displaced, isolated and devastated due to the floods, it can only be estimated that hundreds of animals will also stand heavily affected and their lives are truly in danger today.
In India, states like Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and Meghalaya have been hit by the floods. The situation seems to be the worst in Assam where over 50,000 have already lost their lives and are taking shelter in relief camps made by the government.
