Indian villagers flee from floods

Hundreds of Indian villagers fled their homes today as rising rivers breached their banks in the eastern state of Bihar.

Water levels in the Gandhak and Ganges rivers surged after authorities in neighbouring Nepal released large amounts of water from the Balmikinagar Dam, which was threatening to overflow.

The torrent flooded villages in Gopalganj district, 95 miles north of Patna, the state capital.

Traffic on the road linking Gopalganj to other areas was disrupted after a large stretch was submerged by water from the Gandhak River.

The death toll from monsoon floods and water borne diseases in Bihar has risen to 352, said Alok Ranjan, a senior relief official.

Hundreds of thousands of acres of crops have been washed away in the floods which have hit 24 out of Bihar’s 38 districts, Ranjan said.

Among the nearly 1,100 killed in South Asia since monsoon rains began in June, 512 have been in Nepal. Most fatalities have occurred in remote mountainous areas accessible only by helicopters. Other areas have been cut off as torrential rains have washed away roads.