KAZIRANGA, July 13 - The flood situation in Kaziranga National Park remains grim with 90 % of park area submerged by flood water even though the water level of Brahmaputa in Dhansirimukh, Neemati ghat of Jorhat and Dibrugarh has been maintaining a falling trend, said Divisional Forest officer of Kaziranga, Ramesh Kumar Gogoi.
Gogoi said that flood situation in Kaziranga has remained alarming as most of the park areas including forest camps have been inundated by rising flood water. He informed that a Royal Bengal Tiger after braving the heavy flood took shelter at a residence in Kandurimari area under Eastern range of Agaratoli of Kaziranga National Park. The tiger later moved to a safer place.
Gogoi informed that wild animals including elephants and hog deer have been crossing NH-37 at many places adjacent to Kaziranga National Park including Hati Dandi, Panbari and Kanchanjuri.
This time cards have been issued from Panbari side towards west of NH-37 near Kaziranga forest so that the speed limit of vehicle moving to Bokakhat side from Kohora is restricted to ensure that no further wildlife casualty takes place.
Dr Naveen Pandey, Deputy Director of The Corbett Foundation said that coordinated efforts of many wildlife NGOs have made the work comfortable for Forest staff who had been doing everything possible to protect the wild animals of Kaziranga National Park, including the marooned ones during this flood time.
A source in Kaziranga Forest department said that exact number of casualty of wild animals of Kaziranga forest could be ascertained only when the flood water level receded.
Flood water has inundated many homes of fringe villages including Japori pathar, Kaziranga Da Gaon, Bochagoan and etc.
Bokakhat civil administration had enforced limited movement of vehicles on NH- 37 near Kaziranga forest as many places on national highway including Hatikhuli, Haldhibari, Mazline, Rangajan and others have been submerged by flood water on NH-37.
Till now 59 hog deer have been rescued and many have died and received injuries due to the flood.
