- Title: INDIA: 28 die as boat capsizes in floods
- Date: 2nd August 2007
- Summary: VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN SITTING IN MAKESHIFT TENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Bhojpuri) RAJKUMARI, A DISPLACED VICTIM, SAYING: "What can I say? There was water everywhere in the house. We just managed to get away and save our lives. All our rations were swept away and we just managed to take a few clothes. We lost everything else." VARIOUS MORE OF MAKESHIFT SHELTERS
- Embargoed: 17th August 2007 13:05
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVA8ISN23YNEWSCYNYYEA3BCEONY
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Floods in India claim more lives; 28 when a boat capsizes; thousands more are forced to leave their homes.
The worst floods in a decade forced thousands more villagers from their homes in India's northern Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday (August 1, 2007), and left at least 38 dead.
Twenty-eight died when their boat capsized in the fast-moving waters but more remain missing.
The floods, caused by incessant rain over the past week, devastating crops and infrastructure leaving many without homes or livelihoods.
Even roads have been washed away in the deluge, cutting off the worst-hit areas from the rest of the state.
Many villagers like Rajkumari have lost all their belongings with rain water submerging houses and destroying food stocks.
"We just managed to get away and save our lives. All our rations were swept away and we just managed to take a few clothes. We lost everything else," she said.
Officials said they have been working round the clock to ensure relief gets to those affected, but the water level in the state's Saryu River is said to still be rising every day.
At least 28 people, including a dozen children, drowned, after a crowded boat broke apart and sank in the Uttar Pradesh floodwaters on Wednesday.
The boat was carrying 100 people. Fifty-five were rescued by local villagers and police or swam to safety themselves Surinder Kumar witnessed the accident and helped rescue survivors.
"Some of the people had climbed nearby trees, which seemed ready to collapse under the weight of so many people. We managed to save 55 people hanging from the trees and again dived for the remaining bodies. We have taken out 28 bodies so far," he said.
Ram Tahal lost five members of his family - his wife, two sons and three daughters.
The provincial government has announced compensation of 150,000 rupees ($3658) for the family members of the deceased.
The annual rains are crucial to India's farming-dependent economy but too much rain triggers floods that regularly displace millions and kill hundreds of people. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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