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South Asia: Hundreds Die in Floods from Monsoon Rains

New Delhi, Sep 5. -Flooding caused by monsoon rains in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have killed hundreds and affected millions in the last few days.Over 160 people died in India due to overflowing rivers and landslides, and almost 5.5 million lost their homes or otherwise suffered material losses.

The most affected states were Uttar Pradesh (north), Bihar and Assam (northeast), where the number of rescuers was insufficient, and their work was frequently hindered by the weather and difficulties in reaching the flooded areas.

The number of victims more than doubled in the last 10 days, said John Roche, the International Red Cross representative in the country, who said it was likely the situation would become worse.

About 300,000 hectares of crops, mainly rice, were completely damaged in Utta Pradesh.

In Pakistan, 88 people had died as of Sunday, most of them drowning victims, and a total of eight million were affected by rain and flooding.

The southern provinces of Sindh and Punjab were the most affected, with the government setting up hundreds of refugee camps and sending food and other emergency aid.

In Punjab province, more than 1,500 cases of dengue had been reported. (Prensa Latina)