Twenty endangered Indian rhinos have been killed in floods that have devastated parts of northeastern India, according to officials.

The state of Assam has been battered by floods triggered by monsoon rains, submerging 80% of Kaziranga National Park, which is the largest habitat for the one-horned rhino.

An estimated four million people have been affected in 3,300 villages across the state, with thousands of hectares of agricultural land submerged in the worst flooding since 2004.

Image: Prince William and Kate visited Kaziranga National Park in April

In April this year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent a day touring Kaziranga to raise awareness of illegal poaching.

Dr Satyendra Singh, director of the park, told Sky News: "It's been disastrous, 80% of the park was submerged but the water has receded and only 30% is still flooded.


"Some 270 wild animals have died, this has been one of the worst seasons of flooding."

Image: A rescue team transports a rhino calf from the floodwaters

The 20 rhino deaths are equivalent to the total number killed by poaching in 2015.

Dr Singh added: "Nine calves have been rescued and have been shifted to a rehabilitation and treatment centre.

"But the devastation to the park's infrastructure, roads and bridges has been very severe."

Image: People on a makeshift raft in Morigoan district

Prince William and Kate were pictured feeding rhino and elephant calves during their royal tour to India and Bhutan.

In 2015, there were an estimated 3,555 rhino living in the wild in India.

The flooding has hit north and east India, leaving around 90 people dead and affecting an estimated seven million others.

India's National Disaster Response Force has placed 42 flood rescue teams across the country. Teams have evacuated people and moved them to relief camps.

The country is still in the midst of the monsoon season, with most of the rivers in the north flowing above dangerous levels.