Intense rain and floods in the Indian state of Assam have killed at least 84 people and displaced more than 2.75 million since May. Authorities have been trying to collect the bodies of nine rare rhinos drowned in the past 10 days.

Officials said the rescue teams were facing a double challenge of rising floodwaters amid the novel coronavirus as villagers driven from their homes huddle in shelters.

“It’s hard to enforce social distancing when people are being ordered to move away from the rising waters. We’re urging people to at least cover their mouth and nose with a piece of clean cloth”, - said Sanghamitra Sanyal, a member of the northeastern state’s flood management force.

Officials warned that the water level in the Brahmaputra river was expected to rise by 11 cm, two weeks after it burst its banks swamping more than 2,500 villages.