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South Asia struggles with floods | South Asia struggles with floods |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Almost 250 people have died and over 17 million people have been displaced or marooned in severe flooding across India, Bangladesh and Nepal. | |
The floods are being described as the worst in living memory, according to BBC correspondents in the region. | |
Vast stretches of fertile countryside are under water, damaging farmland and flooding thousands of villages. | Vast stretches of fertile countryside are under water, damaging farmland and flooding thousands of villages. |
The relief operation is a massive challenge. Aid agencies say that stocks of food and water are running very low. | |
It has been raining heavily in the region for 20 days and more rain is forecast. | |
Many of the rivers which flow through northern India and into Bangladesh are overflowing, and in some places they have burst their banks. | |
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In Assam, in north-eastern India, three feet of rain fell in July. | |
The BBC's Damien Grammaticas in Delhi says that people in the state have clashed with police in their desperation for food, shelter and medicine. | |
In Uttar Pradesh the army was called in to evacuate 500 villages. | |
The two worst affected districts are reported to be Gorakhpur and Kushinagar, although water levels in major rivers there are reported to have stopped rising for the moment. | |
Flood politics | Flood politics |
Bihar's State Disaster Management Committee Chairman Manoj Srivastava told the BBC that the flood situation was quite "serious". | |
At least 121 relief camps and 34 cattle camps had been set up in the flood-affected areas of Bihar, he said. | At least 121 relief camps and 34 cattle camps had been set up in the flood-affected areas of Bihar, he said. |
The High Court in the state capital Patna has recently criticised the state government for its failure to deliver relief materials. | |
Bihar's former Chief Minister and the current federal Railway Minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav, made an aerial tour of the region on Wednesday and accused the state government of "criminal negligence". | |
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is out of the state on business. | Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is out of the state on business. |
State Governor RS Gavai has appealed to all party leaders to bury their political differences and work together to help flood victims. | State Governor RS Gavai has appealed to all party leaders to bury their political differences and work together to help flood victims. |
Army assistance | Army assistance |
Many roads and bridges in the states of Bihar and Assam have been damaged making it harder for the authorities to get relief material to those affected. | |
The army is using helicopters to drop supplies but aid agencies are already warning of shortages of food and drinking water. | The army is using helicopters to drop supplies but aid agencies are already warning of shortages of food and drinking water. |
Almost six million are affected in Assam, authorities say | Almost six million are affected in Assam, authorities say |
In Bangladesh, a country that is predominantly low-lying, hundreds of thousands of people are camping on embankments or on the roofs of their homes waiting for relief. | In Bangladesh, a country that is predominantly low-lying, hundreds of thousands of people are camping on embankments or on the roofs of their homes waiting for relief. |
One man who abandoned his home in Sirajganj, 110km (70 miles) north-west of Dhaka, said he and his family had lost everything. | One man who abandoned his home in Sirajganj, 110km (70 miles) north-west of Dhaka, said he and his family had lost everything. |
"We are suffering too much here in this makeshift shelter. The flood has destroyed all of our belongings, we could save nothing," he told the BBC. | "We are suffering too much here in this makeshift shelter. The flood has destroyed all of our belongings, we could save nothing," he told the BBC. |
Many are using boats to move around. | Many are using boats to move around. |
Bangladesh's military-backed interim government has said it is doing its best to cope. | Bangladesh's military-backed interim government has said it is doing its best to cope. |
But, the BBC's John Sudworth in Dhaka says that the relief effort is piecemeal and not enough, consisting of a few biscuits and rice for each family. | |
In Nepal, several rivers that flow down from the Himalayas have burst their banks in the heavily populated and low-lying Terai region that borders Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. | In Nepal, several rivers that flow down from the Himalayas have burst their banks in the heavily populated and low-lying Terai region that borders Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. |
The BBC's Mark Dummett in Kathmandu says that some people have blamed India for worsening the situation because it has not opened dams on its side of the border. | The BBC's Mark Dummett in Kathmandu says that some people have blamed India for worsening the situation because it has not opened dams on its side of the border. |
But authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh say that the release of flood waters by Nepal causes flooding on their side of the border. | |
Have you been affected by flooding? Send us your experiences using the form below. | Have you been affected by flooding? Send us your experiences using the form below. |
You can send your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100/61124 | You can send your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100/61124 |
Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |
When taking photos or filming please do not endanger yourself or others, take unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | When taking photos or filming please do not endanger yourself or others, take unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |