Torrential rain and floods kill 82 in western India

June 2015 – INDIA – At least 82 people have been killed in widespread flooding in the western Indian state of Gujarat, in the past three days alone, officials say. Thirty-three people have been killed in Amreli, the district worst-affected the state disaster management authority said on Friday. At least 4500 people have been affected in the district and another 4121 in Rajkot, it added. Gujarat’s Minister of Water Resources, Vijay Rupani said 13 victims in Amreli died when two houses collapsed due to the flood, reported the Indian Express newspaper. The Indian army and air force troops are involved in relief operations. Photos released by the Defence Ministry show Air Force helicopters rescuing people trapped on roof-tops or small islets, to escape overflowing rivers. According to the ministry, helicopters undertook rescue efforts and distributed nearly six tonnes of food – 15,000 food packets in Amreli alone. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in her official Twitter account appealed to the people ‘not to panic co-operate with the administration in its rescue and relief efforts.’ ‘Team Gujarat will complete the relief work in coming 4-5 days to bring back life to normalcy in the affected areas,’ Patel said. The state government has announced 400,000 rupees ($A8,143.74) to those who lost family members in the disaster. It will also distribute cash subsidies over the next few days in the most severely affected areas. ‘We have asked local administrations of the affected districts to carry out an extensive survey to determine the loss. We will provide financial aid to those who have lost crops, livestock, houses and other properties as per norms,’ Gujarat’s Health Minister Nitin Patel told India Today on Friday.  –Sky News