Floods and landslides caused by torrential rains have killed at least 16 people over the past two weeks in northeastern India, where more than 300,000 people have been displaced from their flooded homes.
The Indian Army and Air Force participated in rescue efforts in Assam, one of the most affected states, where early Tuesday morning, a military helicopter evacuated 13 fishermen to a safe area after they were stranded for 4 days on a small island in the Brahmaputra River, one of the largest rivers. Asia, according to officials.
The Brahmaputra River flows 1,280 kilometers through the state of Assam before passing through Bangladesh, annually. But high rainfall this year has made living near it or on one of the more than 2,000 villages in the middle of the river, known for its powerful and unpredictable flow, more dangerous.
In the neighboring state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, landslides damaged many roads.
Police said that army personnel there rescued 70 students and teachers from a flooded school in Changlang district.
Likewise, heavy floods in the states of Sikkim, Manipur and Meghalaya washed away roads and bridges collapsed.
So far, more than 80 people have died in 6 northeastern states since the end of May due to floods and mudslides caused by rain, according to official statistics.
In Assam state, authorities moved animals in the famous Kaziranga National Park, which includes about 2,500 rhinos, to higher ground to escape floods.
State Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said park rangers were monitoring their movements to ensure their safety.
Disasters caused by landslides and floods are common in the northeastern region of the country during the monsoon season, which extends from June to September.
India, and the state of Assam in particular, is considered one of the most vulnerable regions of the world to climate change, according to a 2021 report by the Energy, Environment and Water Council, a New Delhi-based climate think tank.
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