This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
Torrential monsoon rains have brought devastation to South Asia, claiming the lives of over 100 people in recent days and inundating a significant portion of India's Kaziranga National Park.
The region, which includes Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, is prone to floods and landslides during the July-September monsoon season, but officials warn that the current deluge could be one of the worst in recent years.
In Assam's Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, around 90% of the 430-square-kilometre reserve is underwater, putting the lives of several rhinos and wild boars at risk.
'It's one of the worst floods in the state and in the park in recent times,' said Assam's Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya.
The park, home to the world's largest concentration of one-horned rhinos, has seen rhinos moving to higher ground, while rangers have had to guide two of the three tigers that swam outside the area back into the park.
The floods have also affected nearly four million people in Assam, with 33 deaths reported in the last 10 days.
In Bangladesh, conditions have improved slightly, but nearly one-third of the country remains underwater, with at least six deaths reported and 1.8 million people affected.
The Brahmaputra river burst its banks, flooding a border town and several villages, while in Nepal, 67 people have died and 45 are missing after landslides and floods triggered by the rains.
