India's Assam flood death toll rises to nine
Houses swept away, roads and railways lines broken and tunnels blocked with debris Flooding in India’s north-east Assam region killed nine people as incessant rains and landslides continued to devastate the remote mountainous state. Twenty-seven of Assam’s 33 districts have been hit by landslides and overflowing rivers since the beginning of this week, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). Disaster response forces used boats and helicopters to rescue nearly 7,500 people on Thursday. “We have a death toll of nine including victims of flood and landslides. About 85,000 people are shifted to 172 relief camps. We are ensuring people remain safe and their health is taken care of,” Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, chief executive of ASDMA, told The National. “Reconstruction and relief operations are continuing with the help of disaster forces,” he said. Houses were swept away, roads and railways lines damaged and tunnels blocked with debris. Thousands of hect...