 The
worst floods in decades have killed at least 355 people and left
tens of thousands of others homeless in India and Bangladesh.
The
affected region runs from India's provinces of West Bengal and
Bihar along the border with Bangladesh, for a span of about 145
miles. All the major rivers in the area, including the Ganges,
have burst their banks.
Monsoon rains have left the homes of millions of residents of
eastern India and Bangladesh submerged. At least 200 communities
in Bangladesh have been flooded. The homeless have been forced
to take shelter on unstable embankments and in overcrowded buildings.
Officials reported on Monday that the spread of water-borne diseases
such as diarrhea had broken out in the stricken areas.
Anger mounted
during the weekend when Indian officials opened the sluice gates
on numerous rivers, causing flooding in Bangladesh to worsen.
Rioting in
relief camps set up for thousands of victims has been triggered
by anger over lack of food and relief supplies. Police the West
Bengal city of Debogram opened fire on a crowd of homeless victims
on Monday after they reportedly looted a relief truck.
Authorities
expected death and damage tolls to rise even further, because
it has been impossible to assess the many areas that are still
cut off by huge lakes formed by the floodwater.
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