INDIA: ASSAM: FLOODING CRISIS (2)

(11 Aug 2000) Natural Sound XFA A devastating flood that has claimed an estimated 121 lives and displaced nearly five million (m) people in India has submerged a military post along the border with Bangladesh and washed away long stretches of fencing. Five people were swept away in Assam's Nalbari district on Wednesday, raising the death toll in that state to 89 in four weeks, the flood control department said. Half have died of waterborne diseases, state officials say, and around 3.5 million (m) are homeless. Floods in north and east India are continuing to wreak havoc for hundreds of thousands of people, despite flood waters receding. The Indian Army has been trying to bolster relief efforts by rescuing stranded people and delivering aid. Here in the Kamrup district of Assam the Sikh Regiment has been working for days, looking for survivors and taking them to safety. The commanding officer says the regiment has rescued nearly fifteen hundred people in the last week -- in this area alone. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Initially, the dams broke in many places, and there was total devastation. When we reached the place we found just small kids clinging on to their mothers or fathers. And they in turn clinging on to whatever they could. Thereafter, the moment people saw us, initially there was a lot of panic. The moment they saw us, the boat getting unloaded -- and saw us come -- they heaved a sigh of relief. Finally we've had to actually pluck people from their homes. Most of them broke down the moment they got into the boat -- most probably it was out of relief, sheer joy of getting saved." SUPERCAPTION: Colonel A.K.Singh, Commanding Officer Sikh Regiment He says many of the local elderly people say it's the worst flood in their living memory. SOUNDBITE: (English) "They said they had seen this only once -- way back, I think, in '84. A little bit... it was not of this magnitude. Rohngiya town was not affected -- there was hardly any water in Rohngiya town. This time, Rohngiya town itself had three feet of water at most of the places, and those elderly people whom I'm talking about -- they said somewhere in their childhood, way back in the '50s, they had seen a flood of this nature. But again, the magnitude was not this great" SUPERCAPTION: Colonel A.K.Singh, Commanding Officer Sikh Regiment The fear now is that the conditions will mean an outbreak of disease. Army doctors have been examining local people. But most people affected by the floods are still out of reach, in remote areas. The floods have also affected neighbouring countries of Bhutan and Bangladesh. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...