MORE than 1,000 people have died across India, Bangladesh and Nepal following the worst monsoon floods to hit South Asia in more than a decade.
At least five people have been killed in India’s financial capital Mumbai, as heavy monsoon rain caused transport chaos and forced schools and many offices to close on Wednesday.
The coastal city of more than 20 million people is the latest to be hit by floods that have ravaged South Asia this monsoon season, affecting millions of people.
More than 24 million people have been affected by some of the worst flooding to hit South Asia in decades, with large areas of land submerged in water. Picture: AFP.Source:AFP
“Five people have died in the Mumbai floods. Four of them including two children died due to wall collapse in the slums and another person died due to electric shock,” Tanaji Kamble, a local government official, told AFP.
Mr Kamble said the rains had eased by Wednesday. “We are monitoring the safety situation across the city and things are returning to normal.”
Cars were submerged and commuters waded through waist-deep water on Tuesday evening.
“I could not find any mode of transport and spent my night on the streets instead of trying to reach home,” said 62-year-old Gangadin Gupta.
Indian villagers receive relief food near the submerged houses by flood waters in Gazole village at Malda district in the Indian state of West Bengal on August 22, 2017. Picture: AFP.Source:AFP
He said many people had been left stranded for much of the night until the rail network reopened early on Wednesday.
India, Nepal and Bangladesh all suffer frequent flooding during the monsoon rains which begin in June and last till September or October.
But the Red Cross has termed this year’s floods the worst for decades in some parts of the region.
It says entire communities have been cut off and many are short of food and clean water.
Indian residents carry drinking water for distribution on a boat to flood effected villagers near submerged area in Gazole village at Malda district in the Indian state of West Bengal on August 22, 2017. Picture: AFP.Source:AFP
The state of Bihar has been particularly hard hit, with over 500 people killed this monsoon season.
Around 1.7 million people were reportedly affected by the floods, which are now receding.
Indian residents carry drinking water for distribution on a boat to flood effected villagers near submerged area in Gazole village at Malda district in the Indian state of West Bengal on August 22, 2017. Picture: AFP
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