Man killed after 3,000 kilo rhino is washed away

Story filed: 12:50 Monday 21st July 2003

An Indian man has been crushed to death by a 3,000 kilogram rhinoceros washed out of a national park and into a village by monsoon floods.

The fully-grown one-horned rhino landed on a riverbank in Ghatupara in Darrang district, Assam.

A spokesman said the man was gathering grass in the area when the rhino charged at him and killed him.

Four elephants with their handlers, and 10 forest guards are hunting for the rhino.

Assam is home to the Kaziranga National Park, the world's only natural habitat for the rare one-horned rhino.

Several animals fleeing floods in the reserve have been killed crossing highways or by running into poachers.

The death toll from rains, flooding, disease and panicked wildlife in the annual monsoon has reached 579 across South Asia

Overflowing rivers in Assam have washed many people out of their homes, leaving them prey to insects, while floodwaters have polluted drinking water wells, increasing the cases of waterborne disease.

Nearly 5 million people in almost 5,000 villages spread over 22 of Assam's 24 districts have been affected by the floods.

© Associated Press

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