Heavy monsoon rains lashed new areas of India, submerging dozens of villages in the West, as health workers raced to provide food and medicine to avert an outbreak of disease in the water-logged North.

Indian air force helicopters swept low over the flooded plains of northern India today, dropping desperately needed aid to some 2 million people marooned by some of the worst flooding to hit the area in 30 years, officials said.

A total of 12 air crewmen were killed today when two Indian navy planes collided over Goa.