Monsoons claim 700 lives

The death toll from almost two months of monsoon rain and floods across South Asia topped 700 today as racing rivers and heavy downpours and winds hit India’s western desert states and Pakistan’s Sindh province.

At least 36 people have lost their lives in India’s desert regions in Gujarat and Rajasthan states over the past two days, mostly drowned by flooded rivers or killed by live electricity wires snapped by strong winds, officials said.

Troops helped in rescue efforts as the death toll rose to 319 in India and 150 in Pakistan since the start of the monsoon rains in June.

However, no fresh casualties were reported Monday in Bangladesh and Nepal where landslides, lightning and floods have claimed 175 and 79 lives respectively.

Authorities fear that some 10 million people have lost homes, crops or livestock in South Asia.

“The situation is worsening,” said Ali Nawaz Mallah, a relief official in the government of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Monday. “The administration has called in more troops.”