Guwahati: The current wave of flood has inundated two very important wildlife protection areas in the state, Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary, in Assam besides so far affecting about nine lakh people in 18 districts of Assam and caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, embankments, houses and standing crop over an area of 1.43 lakh hectares. Union minister of state for sports and youth affairs, Sarbananda Sonowal visited flood affected areas of Lakhimur district and talked to the flood-hit taking shelter in many relief camps on Wednesday. Sonowal claimed that Central government had already provided money to Assam government for flood relief operations.Official sources informed that a large chunk of grassland inside Kaziranga National Park which is located on the south bank of the swelling Brahmaputra River in Nagaon and Golaghat districts of Assam, have been inundated forcing the animals including herds of elephants, a number of one-horned rhinos and deer to cross over the hazardous National Highway 715 on the south of the Park to take shelter in Karbi Anglong foot hills. The forest officials and police have mounted vigil on the highway protection of the flood-hit animals crossing over it. A system of time card has been introduced to regulate the speed of the vehicles plying on the highway and heavy penalty is being levied on vehicles flouting the prescribed speed limit while travelling the stretch of the highway through the national park. The situation in Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Marigaon district which is known for highest density rhino population in the world, is worse with flood water of the Brahmaputra River inundating over 70 per cent area of the about 38 Square kilometer park. At least ten forest personnel camp out of the total 22 camps have been rendered useless because of the flood creating a situation that poses threat to the rhino population. All 12 elephants engaged in the park by the forest department have been shifted to higher places. A forest official said that shortage of fodder has hit the flood-hit animal.Wildlife personnel are patrolling on both the Kaziranga and Pabitora parks on country boats and motor boats and anti-poaching camps have been severely affected because of flood in these wildlife protection areas.