The flood situation in Assam worsened after two successive days of improvement, affecting 16.03 lakh on Thursday. The number of affected people stood at 14.95 lakh on Wednesday.

One person drown in western Assam’s Goalpara district, taking the toll due to the floods and landslips to 58 since May 22.

A spokesperson of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said the number of flood-affected districts had come down to 22 from 25 a week ago. “More than 2,500 people have left the relief camps, leaving 12,597 inmates in 93 shelters,” she said.

The Brahmaputra and three of its tributaries, officials said, were flowing above the danger mark, but at fewer stretches than 24 hours ago. The floodwaters have breached embankments and damaged roads and bridges, cutting off many areas.

Barpeta continued to be the worst-hit district, with 8.60 lakh people affected, followed by South Salmara, 1.95 lakh, Goalpara, 94,610, Nalbari, 85,716, and Morigaon, 62,530.

The water level at the Kaziranga National Park receded over the past 24 hours. An update from the park said 73 of the total 223 anti-poaching camps were inundated, 34 fewer than on Tuesday. But the number of animals killed owing to the flooding increased to 25 from 18 on July 1. While four animals drowned, eight hog deer escaping the flooded park were run over by vehicles, despite speed restrictions. Four died under treatment at a rescue centre and the rest owing to “other reasons”.

Animals fleeing a flooded Kaziranga, which has a core area of 430 sq km, have to cross the highway for the relative safety of the hills in Karbi Anglong district. The park authorities had a week ago made it mandatory for vehicles to cross the stretch alongside the park at 40 kmph.

The “other” reasons include hunting. In June, the park authorities and the police arrested three persons in five incidents of hunting deer trying to escape the flooded park. Two of them were caught in the Behali area with a half kg of cooked venison and three hog deer skins. They were charged with hunting and illegal possession of cooked and fresh deer meat under the Wildlife Protection (Assam Amendment) Act, 2009.

A live deer was recovered from another person in Biswanath Ghat a couple of days ago. Both Behali and Biswanath are on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra.