"More casualties this year in floods," says Assam governor

HORNBILL TV

Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Tuesday said there have been more casualties this year in floods and large swathes have been affected.

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 9 (HBTV): Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Tuesday said there have been more casualties this year in floods and large swathes have been affected.

Officials said 72 people have died in the deluge as of July 8. 

Floods have devastated Assam leaving millions displaced, causing extensive damage to roads and infrastructure. 

"A flood-like situation more or less persists in Assam every year. People are always prepared for this situation because the region is always prone to floods owing to the Brahmaputra River and other smaller rivers," Governor Kataria told reporters after arriving at the Jaipur airport. 

The Assam governor is on an official visit to Jaipur. 

The Brahmaputra River runs through the northeastern state. 

"This time there have been more casualties and more area has been affected. People cooperate with the authorities and support the efforts of the administration in dealing with such situations," he added.

Approximately 137 wild animals, including six rhinos, have died in the Assam floods at Kaziranga National Park, officials said on Monday. 

The park’s authorities have managed to rescue 99 animals, including two rhino calves and two elephant calves. 

Seventy forest camps out of 233 in the park have been submerged. 

More than 27.74 lakh people across 28 districts have been displaced in the deluge. 

Rescue teams, Fire & Emergency Services, local administration, Indian army, and paramilitary forces are engaged in rescue operations in different areas of the state. 

(ANI) This is a syndicated news feed. HBTV has edited it for clarity.