Rain plays havoc as 75 die in southern, western India

Torrential rains in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karanataka, Goa and Assam have claimed about 75 lives, while tens of thousands of people have been displaced.

Hyderabad/Mumbai/Guwahati, June 24 : Torrential rains in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karanataka, Goa and Assam have claimed about 75 lives, while tens of thousands of people have been displaced.

Andhra Pradesh is the worst affected where rail and road traffic, and telecommunication have been badly disrupted due to the flash floods.

At least 41 people have died alone in the state. Hundreds of trees have been uprooted, electric poles have felled and highways are flooded in low-lying villages and small towns in Kurnool and Guntur Districts.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajashekhara Reddy has said that 156 Kilometres of road is damaged, 71 cross-damaged systems are not working. 152 places in the state are facing traffic problems.

Yesterday, he said that the administration has opened 95 relief camps and has announced an ex-gratia of rupees two lakh each to the families of the dead.

The Army and Navy have been alerted in submerged areas, particularly in Kurnool and Nandyal towns.

In Mumbai, four people were killed when a building collapsed today due to heavy rains.

"The tenants who stay here opposed development. They appealed in the court against it and they have given guarantee in the high court that they will repair the building but they haven't done that," a local Legislator, Krishna Kant said.

Eleven people were killed when two walls collapsed in Pune.

In Karnataka, at least 14 people have died in the last 36 hours. While in Kerala, 25 lost their lives. 27 relief camps have been set up here to look after hundreds of evacuates.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has offered Central assistance to Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Assam.

ANI