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India's PM declares flooding a "national calamity"

29/08/2008

India's prime minister Manmohan Singh has described widespread flooding in the northern region of the country a "national calamity".

Thousands of people have been evacuated from the region to escape the rising flood water.

At least 55 people are reported to have died after the Kosi river broke its banks earlier this week and 2.5 million have been forced to leave their homes.

Mr Singh visited the worst affected areas on Thursday, pledging $250 million (£125.8 million) worth of aid to the region.

The Indian military has been deployed and are working with the national disaster response force to remove all those at risk from the rising water.

Angry scenes have been witnessed across northern India with a number people reported to have been killed during frantic scrambles for food and aid.