Flooding in Assam

Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India

Last November my daughter and I visited north east India where I had spent my childhood. One of the highlights of the trip was riding elephants through the Kaziranga Sanctuary. The elephants ambled through meadows where one horned rhino and hog deer looked up at us from the grass. With baby elephants freely tagging behind the mama we were riding I felt like I was inside a documentary. These scenes are still fresh in my mind it as I read the headlines about the flooding in the area. Nature took an ugly turn in this beautiful place.

Assam's Flooding Takes Toll on India's Rhinos: During the last 10 days, severe flooding in Assam has killed 121 people and 6,249 farm animals and has displaced millions of people, Nandika Hazarika, a project officer of the state disaster management authority, said by phone.
In the Kaziranga park, hog deer account for 500 of the dead animals, Mr. Gagoi said. Other animals that have died in the floods included wild boars, sambhars, swamp deer and at least one elephant.