“Himalayan tsunami” deaths rise to 680, many displaced
Tuesday, 25 June 2013 09:47
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NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Devastating floods in northern India have killed at least 680 people, government officials said on Monday, but they warned the death toll could soar as debris and roads are cleared following what many are calling a “Himalayan Tsunami”.
Aid workers said it was a race against time to get food, drink and medicines to tens of thousands of survivors, with one charity warning that children are already dying because they cannot reach medical help.
The floods - triggered by unusually early and heavy monsoon over a week ago - have inundated villages and towns, swept away vast tracts of farmland, buildings, roads and bridges and caused huge landslides in Uttarakhand.
Thousands of India’s military and air force personnel are helping with rescue and relief operations in the area, a popular Hindu pilgrimage destination due to its numerous shrines and temples.
There are no official figures on how many people have been affected, but Save the Children said at least 150,000 people, almost half of them children, had been displaced by the flooding and need immediate help.
Fresh rains on Monday hampered rescue and relief operations, and aid workers said more rains were expected in the coming days.
