Death toll rises: Floods in northeast India force more than 2 million people to flee

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More than 2.1 million people have been displaced by floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in the northeastern Indian state of Assam.

At least six people were killed this week, bringing the death toll from heavy rains since May to 52, the state disaster management agency said on Thursday.

More than 386,000 people have found shelter in 515 relief camps in the 24 flood-affected districts.

Although the water level of the Brahmaputra, one of Asia’s largest rivers, has dropped slightly, the flood situation remains serious, said a spokesman for the state disaster management agency.

“The worst affected districts are Dhubri in western Assam and Darrang in northern Assam. There, 649,000 and 190,000 people have been displaced respectively.”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the floods were mainly caused by the breach of eight dykes and rain in the upstream state of Arunachal Pradesh. “No human intervention can stop this,” he said.

The Brahmaputra, which flows 1,280 km through the state of Assam before crossing into Bangladesh, is one of 13 major rivers whose water level is above the danger level.

This year’s persistent rainfall has made it even more dangerous to live near the Brahmaputra, which is already known for its strong and unpredictable currents.

In the middle of the river there are over 2,000 villages on islands.

Animals in the state’s Kaziranga National Park, known as the home of the Indian rhinoceros, retreated to higher ground to escape the floods.

At least 31 animals – 30 deer and an otter cub – died when floods inundated almost 80 percent of the reserve.

Forest rangers rescued 82 animals, including a baby rhino.

In neighboring Arunachal Pradesh on the border with China, several roads were destroyed by landslides.

At least seven districts in the centre and east of the state are completely cut off from the outside world due to landslides and flash floods.

In Bangladesh, downstream from India, nearly 1.8 million people have been affected by the floods, according to the country’s disaster management agency.