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Millions stranded in Indian floods

28/08/2008

At least 2.5 million people in India are reported to be stranded after heavy monsoon rains hit the eastern state of Bihar.

The Kosi river in broke its banks and changed course last week, flooding hundreds of settlements.

Indian authorities are now struggling to reach those in desperate need of food and aid.

There are reports that looting and food riots have broken out with one person being killed in the Madepura district after fights broke out over aid at a relief centre and a boy died in a stampede to retrieve supplies dropped from helicopters in the Supaul district.

Nitish Mishra, Bihar's disaster management minister, told the Al Jazeera news agency that the floods were the worst for 50 years.

"You could be prepared for a normal flood but this is not a normal flood, it's a complete disaster," he said.

The Indian army is currently working on evacuating more than one million people from their homes in the region.