Torrents of water washed away homes, crops and cows, leaving hungry and frightened villagers perched in treetops or on roofs as the death toll rose today from monsoon rains across northern India and Bangladesh.

Two people were killed when police fired into thousands of unruly villagers who threw stones and vandalised buildings in protests over frequent power outages in north-western Bangladesh, an official said today.

A TROPICAL storm lashed north-western Bangladesh yesterday, killing at least 11 people and injuring 1,000.