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Indian relief work gathers pace after floods kill 132
Relief teams rushed food, water, medicines and other essentials to hundreds of thousands of people marooned by floods that have killed 132 in India's western Gujarat state. The rescue and relief effort gathered pace during a lull in heavy rains on Sunday. But the weather office predicted a new downpour in the next two days in the state where 25 million people have been affected by the floods. The new death toll, given in a statement by state revenue minister Kaushik Patel, covers almost a week of heavy rains that swelled rivers and dams. Many victims were washed away. Others were crushed when portions of buildings collapsed or were buried in mudslides.
At least 11 air force helicopters were dropping food and water, blankets and tents to flood-hit residents, the statement said. Gujarat law minister Ashok Bhatt said "relief, restoration and rehabilitation work" was in full-swing, although most roads were still submerged and traffic across the state was disrupted. The army said it had rescued up to 4,500 people.
"All precautions are being taken to ensure that there is no outbreak of diseases due to flooding. Carcasses of dead animals are being disposed of as quickly as they are spotted," Singh said. The state weather office has forecast more rain for Gujarat during the next two days. "There could be heavy to very heavy rainfall in most parts of the state during the next 24 hours," said R.K. Bakliwal, chief weather officer. Across the state, roofs of submerged houses could be seen from the air, surrounded by vast stretches of debris-choked flood waters. Officials said Sunday evening the flood waters were receding, paving the way for the reopening of some national highways and resumption of train and bus services. The Gujarat state government also announced disbursal of 2.60 billion rupees (60.46 million dollars) to expedite relief work. A spokesman in Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office said he spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi "and offered him all help for flood relief." An industry lobby group estimated the damage at 100 billion rupees (2.32 billion dollars) in one of the country's most industrialised states. Many villages and towns were hit by power cuts after rain pounded the state non-stop for four days, said state revenue minister Patel. He said 39 of Gujarat's 187 large- and medium-size dams were overflowing. A General Motors auto plant and a major factory of the Gujarat State Fertiliser Corporation have been closed. Many of the state's textile and light manufacturing plants have been flooded or closed by power cuts, said the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India. Farmers and glass and drug makers were also severely affected, it said. Most of India is in the grip of monsoon rains which sweep the country from June to September. In many places the volume of rain is below average but in Gujarat the torrent has caused havoc.
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