85 dead, 50 missing in floods in Indian desert state
Pastor Dale Morgan
85 dead, 50 missing in floods in Indian desert state*
BARMER, India, Aug 26 (AFP) Aug 26, 2006
At least 85 people were dead and another 50 missing in massive floods
that have swamped the normally drought-prone desert state of Rajasthan,
officials said Saturday.
Of those who perished in the floodwaters, a majority were from the
state's Barmer district where scores were still missing, the Press Trust
of India said, quoting a government minister.
"Since the floods began, 51 dead bodies have been found in Barmer. The
search is on for 50 (more) people," said Rajendra Singh Rathore, the
state's public works minister.
Navy divers and army troops had been called in to rescue around 200
people who had taken shelter atop houses, vehicles and sand dunes after
the unusually heavy rains in the desert region, Rathore added.
The army had flown nearly 3,500 people by helicopter to higher ground.
Rathore said around 47,000 animals had also been found dead.
In Barmer's Kawas village, the rains initially brought cheer last week,
providing relief from a drought that had lasted for six years. But
residents said bloated bodies of people and animals were now floating in
the water.
Earlier this month, more than 10 million people were affected by floods
in four states.
Western Gujarat state faced the brunt with its diamond-polishing hub of
Surat remaining under water for five days.