Torrential rains, floods leave 48 people dead in India

Torrential rains and floods have wrecked havoc in Indias southern state of Andhr Pradesh and nearby eastern state of Andhra Pradesh leaving 48 people dead, while damaging crops and properties worth USD millions, local government sources said Saturday. Sources said in press remarks the Andhra Pradesh was worst hit as heavy rain and floods claimed lives of 32 people in the state, adding, at least 15, 000 houses collapsed across 4,000 villages. They further said 82,000 people were evacuated to safer places while crops over at least 500,000 hectares have been partially or fully damaged. Sources said that Andhra government has pressed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) into service for relief and rescue operations of the affected people, adding, 16 districts in the state were worst affected. Similarly, in the neighboring state of Odisha at least 16 people have died due to heavy rain fall and raging floods, sources said. They said that rain was continuing in the state for the past four days, adding, the relief and rescue operations in the state were in full swing.