GUWAHATI, Aug 17 � The flood situation in Assam turned critical today with the water level of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries rising alarmingly in the upper and central Assam districts, reports PTI.
The rivers were overflowing in the districts of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Morigaon and Dibrugarh following heavy rainfall in Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, an official report said.
The Kaziranga National Park and the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary were also heavily flooded, forcing hapless animals to move to higher ground.
The situation in Majuli, the world�s largest river island, was also grim with the Brahmaputra flowing above the danger mark.
In the Kaziranga National Park, famed for its one-horned rhino, the water of the Brahmaputra has inundated almost 70 per cent of the area. The animals moved to the highlands in the neighbouring Karbi Anglong district, KNP DFO S K Seal Sarmah said.
�Water has entered 50 camps across the sanctuary and three camps have been evacuated in the northern range,� he said.
The animals migrated to the highland across NH-37. To check speeding vehicles from running over the animals, barricades have been set up and time-cards introduced to control the speed of the vehicles, Seal Sarmah said.
Vast areas of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district also lay inundated as the bewildered animals made desperate attempts to get to safety, forest officials said.
In Majuli in Jorhat district, 45 villages are under floodwaters following continuous rainfall and rising water of the Brahmaputra.
Vast areas of the river island and its gateways Neamatighat and Jhanjimukh were inundated over the last two days, Majuli Sub-Divisional Officer Laya Maduri said.
In Lakhimpur, nearly one lakh people in seven circles have been affected in six revenue circles of Dhakuakhana, Naoboicha, Bihpuria, Narayanpur, North Lakhimpur and Subansiri by the rising water of the Ranganadi, Deputy Commissioner Gaurav Bothra said.
