JORHAT, Sept 5 – The flood wave which hit Kaziranga National Park on August 22 has submerged about 50 per cent of the total area of the conservation hotspot, abode of the one-horned rhino. According to official sources, four hog deer have been killed and a rhino calf has drowned in the deluge so far.

All low-lying areas in the north-eastern part of Eastern Range (Agaratoli), western part of Western Range (Bagori) and parts of the Third Addition Area have been flooded.

Speeding vehicles on National Highway 37, which bisects the centenary park, ran over three hog deer. One other animal of the same species was drowned in the Agaratoli range of KNP. The rhino calf was drowned in the Kaziranga range (Kohora) area.

The sources said that seven Forest barricades have been set up along National Highway 37 to check the speed of vehicles passing through the park. The authorities of Golaghat and Nagaon had separately promulgated Section 144 of the CrPC along the stretch of the national highway passing through KNP two months back with a view to controlling vehicular traffic.

The sources said that though 53 out of the 136 Forest camps in the park have come under water, there has been no need for evacuation of personnel manning these camps. Country boats are available for the movement of the guards, they added.

Meanwhile, an additional team of 40 Forest personnel has been deployed to monitor the migration of park animals to the southern Karbi hills. These guards will also keep a strict eye over any possible poaching attempt, the sources stressed. The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, too, has been asked to maintain vigil in the fringe areas to ensure the safety of animals crossing over to the adjacent hills in Karbi Anglong district.

KNP, a World Heritage Site, is located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra in Bokakhat subdivision of Golaghat district. Measuring 429.93 square kilometres in 1974, the park now straddles a total area of 859.42 square kilometres after as many as six annexations over the years.