NEW DELHI: Heavy monsoon rains have killed more than 100 people in India in the past week and forced tens of thousands of people to take shelter in state-run relief camps, India’s Home Ministry said on Sunday.

A cyclone struck the worst-hit state of West Bengal, where 48 people have been killed and nearly 215,000 villagers have been taken to relief camps after heavy rains triggered flooding, the ministry statement said.More than 200 medical teams using 120 boats have reached the area.

Authorities said they have so far distributed over 400,000 drinking water pouches, in an effort to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Another 28 deaths were reported from western Rajasthan state.

Rescue workers evacuated nearly 1,000 people to higher ground there.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2015

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