Friday, July 6, 2007

Deadly Monsoon Rains Worst in 25 Years

NEW DELHI, India, July 5, 2007 (ENS) - Over the past month, more than 1.5 million people have been affected by storms, tornados and landslides in Bangladesh, in what has been described as the worst monsoon season in 25 years. Heavy monsoon rains also are making life miserable for people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Eighty four people in the Indian state of Gujarat have lost their lives ever since torrential rains hit on Monday. Some 43,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as houses collapsed and crops were inundated.

The South Africa-based charity ActionAid says heavy rains in the state of Maharashtra this week killed more than 50 people and have left thousands homeless.

The Indian meteorological department forecasts more heavy rainfall in both Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Flooded vehicles on a Mumbai road. (Photo courtesy State of Maharashtra)
The Maharashtra capital city of Mumbai is limping back to normalcy after heavy downpours last week. Five persons were killed when a building collapsed and two people were electrocuted.

In the rural Amravati district, 350 villages are underwater and the rains have claimed the lives of 26 people.

Power supply and roads have been badly hit, while thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes. Efforts to find missing persons are still ongoing. Read More