India | Posted on May 28, 2009 at 03:13am IST

Aila hits Sunderban, 10 tiger camps submerged

New Delhi: As cyclone Aila packed with a wind speed of 100 km per hour lashed West Bengal, Sundarbans National park was worse hit. As many as three million people live in the forests here alongside tigers.

And so far – 5000 people have been displaced in Sundarbans, 10 tiger camps have been submerged and 20 crocodiles and 300 deer may have been washed away.

“We are only hopeful that the wildlife may be safe because of their natural instincts,” says wildlife activist Joydeep Kundu.

Forest officials have denied reports of 12 tigers being dead, as no bodies have been recovered as yet.

On Tuesday, a tiger entered Jameshpur village while taking refuge from the rising waters causing panic amongst the local people.

Sunderbans is home to over 200 tigers, crocodiles and endangered wildlife.

As rescue teams have been slow to reach the island the lives of the stranded human and wild animals now hangs in balance.

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