Monsoon storms flooded a national park in India, killing six one-horned rhinos, authorities said.

A powerful monsoon storm that hit northeast India flooded a national park, killing six one-horned rhinos, local authorities said Tuesday.

This is the Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary in the state of Assam (northeast), which is classified as a UNESCO world heritage site and home to the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceros, an endangered species.

As waters gradually receded in the park, rangers reported that six rhinos and dozens of deer were killed in the floods.

“Although there is higher ground to protect the animals, they are the ones who bear the brunt of the heavy flooding that impacts the park.”said a senior Kaziranga official, who was not authorized to speak to the media, confirming the animals' deaths.

The population is also affected

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a statement that the floods had “affected humans and animals”, adding that officials had “working around the clock to help everyone”. He determined:

Since mid-May, floods have affected more than 1.8 million people in 3,000 villages and killed 72, according to the Assam Disaster Management Authority.

The heating in question

The monsoon that hits South Asia from June to September provides a break from the summer heat and is essential for replenishing water supplies, but it is also deadly and causes much damage.

During the rainy season, floods and landslides are common and cause major damage, but their number is increasing with climate change, experts say.

Less than 1500 rhinos

Sarma posted a video on social media on Monday showing a stranded rhino, with water reaching its chin, and added that he had “ordered an immediate rescue”.

Kaziranga National Park is home to two-thirds of the world's one-horned rhinoceros, a species classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

There were 2,413 of these rhinos in 2018, according to a census conducted that year. (at)