58 people killed in Russian floods

AT least 58 people, most Russian holidaymakers, have died in floods in Russia's Black Sea region, the Emergencies Ministry said yesterday, as fierce weather continued to hit widespread areas of Europe and Asia.

In India, police put the death toll at 16 after torrential rains triggered flooding and landslides in the northern state of Uttaranchal.

Houses were washed away in three villages in the Uttarkashi district in the Himalayan foothills after heavy monsoon rains late on Saturday, state police chief P.D. Raturi said.

"Sixteen deaths are confirmed so far. But we don't rule out the toll rising," Mr Raturi said by phone.

He said relief officials had been sent to the area but their progress had been slowed by landslide damage.

Erratic monsoon rains have caused flooding in eastern India, and adjoining Nepal and Bangladesh, while leaving large swathes of the rest of India with its worst drought in 15 years.

China was battling with the effects of floods in its southern Hunan province, where torrential rains have triggered landslides and floods, killing 70 people and damaging crops in a main rice-producing area. So far this year, around 900 people in China have been killed in seasonal floods. South Korea, where 14 people have died, has mobilised troops to battle further downpours after a week of deluges dumped two-fifths of the average annual rainfall on the country. More rain is forecast.

North Korea, already suffering a severe food shortage, has also reported crops destroyed by torrential rains, but there are no estimates so far of the extent of the damage.

During the current flooding and storms in eastern Europe, around seven people have died in Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Heavy rains have also brought chaos to Croatia.