CALAMITY// Severe floods in India have affected more than 1.6 million people, buried hundreds of villages and almost submerged a national park, forcing wildlife to seek refuge on roads. With the weather office forecasting more rains, the situation is worst for the northeastern teagrowing state of Assam, which suffered its worst floods four years ago that killed 124 people and displaced six million.

The flood situation gripping Assam has worsened as nearly 16 lakh people in 19 districts have been affected.

In neighbouring Nepal, flash floods and landslides swept through villages, killing at least 58 people over two days.

Floods and landslides are common in India and Nepal during the June-September monsoon season and the death toll runs into the hundreds every year.Police and rescue workers said at least 12 people had drowned across the state of Assam in recent days. Animals from the state’s national parks came out onto roads built up on banks and other high ground as the flood inundated forests. Assam's Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal urged authorities to provide safe drinking water to prevent the outbreak of disease.