Indian monsoon death toll rises to 2,400

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:20:49 GMT
The death toll from India's monsoon floods has risen to more than 2,400, as 32 more people were found dead in the eastern part of the country. According to the Federal Home Ministry's Disaster Management Unit, the latest deaths in Uttar Pradesh State brought the death toll to 2,400. Massive rescue operation involving the Indian air and navy forces is underway as incessant rain has caused rivers to breach their banks in several places, officials said.   In the eastern state of Orissa more than 3.5 million people have been affected by the flooding and 370,000 have had to be evacuated so far, state officials said.   Rising water levels on the Yamuna River threatens the Indian capital too.   A dozen passenger trains are either cancelled or suspended when a major bridge across Yamuna River was shut down on Wednesday.   In all, more than 20 million people have been affected by floods in different parts of India since June.  RZS/RE. Original source