Torrential floods kill 25 in southern India

Intense monsoon rains and floods in India’s southern states have killed at least 25 people, with thousands
rescued and taken to relief camps, disaster officials said Monday.

At least 16 people have been killed in Telangana state, and nine in
neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in the past two days.

“Lots of houses have been damaged as well,” Y. Nagi Reddy, director general
of Telangana’s disaster response and fire service, told AFP, noting there had
400 millimetres (15.7 inches) of rainfall within the past 24 hours.

Around 3,800 people have been rescued in Telangana and moved to relief camps.

India’s air force said Monday it had flown in more than 200 rescue officers
and 30 tonnes of emergency aid to both states.

Rains cause widespread destruction every year, but experts say climate change
is shifting weather patterns and increasing the number of extreme weather
events.

Last week, at least 28 people were killed over three days in the western
state of Gujarat.

The northeastern state of Tripura was also hit by floods and landslides in
August, with more than 20 people killed.

In neighbouring Bangladesh, downriver from India, floods killed at least 40
people over the same period, with nearly 300,000 residents taking refuge in
emergency shelters. (BSS/AFP)