Lightning kills 21 and millions of homes submerged while armed forces asked to help amid continuing storms
At least 25 people died as floods cut a swatch across north-eastern India andIn India’s Assam state, at least nine people died in the floods and 2 million others saw their homes submerged in flood waters, according to the state disaster management agency.
The Brahmaputra – one of Asia’s largest rivers – breached its mud embankments, inundating 3,000 villages and croplands in 28 of Assam’s 33 districts. India’s army has been asked to help other disaster response agencies rescue stranded people and provide food and essentials to those whose houses are submerged under flood waters.In Bangladesh, districts near the Indian border have been worst affected.
Schools have been turned into relief shelters to house entire villages inundated in a matter of hours by rivers that suddenly burst their banks. Asma Akter, another woman rescued from the rising waters, said her family had not been able to eat for two days.