AHMEDABAD, July 1: At least 94 people have died and some 200,000 have been evacuated due to heavy rains and flash floods in India’s western coastal state of Gujarat, officials said on Friday amid warnings of worse to come.

“The flood situation is likley to worsen in Gujarat. We have to be prepared for the worst floods,” Science Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters in New Delhi. “Only after July 4 or 5 will there be a substantial fall in rainfall.”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, meanwhile, has offered “all help for flood relief,” his office said, as Home Minister Shivraj Patil headed for Gujarat to assess the situation.

The floods in Gujarat, which began six days ago, have inundated scores of villages and water has overwhelmed residential suburbs of many towns, including worst-affected Vadodra, state government officials said.

Most of the 94 deaths occurred when people, both adults and children, were washed away by strong currents after dams overflowed, while others were crushed when buildings collapsed or were buried in mudslides, officials said.

They added that around 200,000 people in the affected areas of the state had been moved to higher ground by Friday.—AFP