India hit by further flooding
India has once again been hit by floods at the start of the weekend, as a depression over the Bay of Bengal brought heavy rain to southern and eastern parts of the country. Over 60 people have been killed over the past two days by the monsoon rains, which triggered floods and landslides.
One of the hardest hit areas was the state of Orissa, with just over 190mm (7.5inches) of rainfall recorded in Chandbali in 24 hours. Thousands of hectares of farmland have now been destroyed across India, with more than 40 villages in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh alone being inundated by rising flood waters.
The monsoon season runs from June to September, and is responsible for widespread flooding across India and Bangladesh. The rains this year have been exceptionally heavy, affecting more than 50 million people, with the United Nations deeming the floods, ‘the worst in living memory.’
The worst is not yet over as the Indian Meteorological Department warns of further heavy rain over the next few days.
