Indian flood affected families shelter outside the Poornia railway station premises in Poornia district, some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 1, 2008. Survivors of devastating floods in northeast India said the rescue operation was failing, accusing the government of abandoning those still stranded in remote villages. More than half a million people have been evacuated from the disaster zone, with at least another 500,000 still without food or water, disaster management official Prataya Amrit.
Indian flood affected families shelter outside the Poornia railway station premises in Poornia district, some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 1, 2008. Survivors of devastating floods in northeast India said the rescue operation was failing, accusing the government of abandoning those still stranded in remote villages. More than half a million people have been evacuated from the disaster zone, with at least another 500,000 still without food or water, disaster management official Prataya Amrit .
In this aerial view from an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter shows the partially submerged village of Kumarkhad village in Madhubani district, some 320kms north-east of Patna on September 2, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned. They said several camps in India's northern Bihar state and across the border in Nepal, areas devastated when a monsoon-swollen river which burst its banks and changed course, were already reporting cases of diarrhoea and other crippling illnesses. A large part of Bihar is under water, with 550,000 people displaced and a further 400,000 people still awaiting rescue, state officials said. At least 60,000 people have also had their homes washed away in southern Nepal.
Indian flood affected families shelter outside the Poornia railway station premises in Poornia district, some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 1, 2008. Survivors of devastating floods in northeast India said the rescue operation was failing, accusing the government of abandoning those still stranded in remote villages. More than half a million people have been evacuated from the disaster zone, with at least another 500,000 still without food or water, disaster management official Prataya Amrit told AFP.
This aerial view from an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter shows the partially submerged village of Chattarpur in Madhubani district, some 320kms north-east of Patna on September 2, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned. They said several camps in India's northern Bihar state and across the border in Nepal, areas devastated when a monsoon-swollen river which burst its banks and changed course, were already reporting cases of diarrhoea and other crippling illnesses. A large part of Bihar is under water, with 550,000 people displaced and a further 400,000 people still awaiting rescue, state officials said. At least 60,000 people have also had their homes washed away in southern Nepal.
In this aerial view villagers prepare to gather flood relief material to be dropped by an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter at Kumarkhad in Madhubani district, some 320kms north-east of Patna on September 2, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned. They said several camps in India's northern Bihar state and across the border in Nepal, areas devastated when a monsoon-swollen river which burst its banks and changed course, were already reporting cases of diarrhoea and other crippling illnesses. A large part of Bihar is under water, with 550,000 people displaced and a further 400,000 people still awaiting rescue, state officials said. At least 60,000 people have also had their homes washed away in southern Nepal.
In this aerial view villagers stand on the roof of a house as they wait for flood relief material to be dropped by an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter at Kumarkhad in Madhubani district, some 320kms north-east of Patna on September 2, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned. They said several camps in India's northern Bihar state and across the border in Nepal, areas devastated when a monsoon-swollen river which burst its banks and changed course, were already reporting cases of diarrhoea and other crippling illnesses. A large part of Bihar is under water, with 550,000 people displaced and a further 400,000 people still awaiting rescue, state officials said. At least 60,000 people have also had their homes washed away in southern Nepal.
Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel throw packets of relief material from a helicopter to flood affected villagers at Kumarkhad in Madhubani district, some 320kms north-east of Patna on September 2, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned. They said several camps in India's northern Bihar state and across the border in Nepal, areas devastated when a monsoon-swollen river which burst its banks and changed course, were already reporting cases of diarrhoea and other crippling illnesses. A large part of Bihar is under water, with 550,000 people displaced and a further 400,000 people still awaiting rescue, state officials said. At least 60,000 people have also had their homes washed away in southern Nepal.
An Indian National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel hands food packets a flood effected villager in Laxmipur some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
Indian flood effected villagers are seen as they rescued by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Hajipur area some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
Indian flood affected villagers await relief supplies in the Hajipur district some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
An Indian flood effected child sits on a raft as she eats food distributed by Indian National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel in flood affected villages in the Laxmipur district some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
Indian flood effected villagers are transpoted after their rescue by Indian National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel in the Laxmipur district some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
An Indian flood effected villager looks on as he sits in a makeshift relief camp in Banmankhi some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
Indian flood effected villagers rescued by Indian National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel disembark from a craft in Bamankhi, some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
Indian flood effected villagers wait for rescue by Indian National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel in the Laxmipur district some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Hundreds of thousands of flood victims huddled into makeshift camps in India and Nepal face major disease outbreaks if help fails to reach them quickly, aid workers have warned.
Indian flood affected villager walk through a makeshift relief camp in Banmankhi some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Efforts to rescue tens of thousands of villagers in northern India still cut off by a monsoon-swollen river have entered a critical stage, aid workers and evacuees say. Those who have managed to escape the worst-hit areas of India's Bihar state say food is running out and people are having to drink the muddy flood water, while aid workers speak of "grim" conditions. Over 600,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas, but rescuing the estimated 350,000 villagers still stranded within the next several days is vital to prevent more deaths, rescuers and survivors say.
An Indian flood effected villager carries a goat as he wades through in Laxmipur District some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Efforts to rescue tens of thousands of villagers in northern India still cut off by a monsoon-swollen river have entered a critical stage, aid workers and evacuees say. Those who have managed to escape the worst-hit areas of India's Bihar state say food is running out and people are having to drink the muddy flood water, while aid workers speak of "grim" conditions. Over 600,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas, but rescuing the estimated 350,000 villagers still stranded within the next several days is vital to prevent more deaths, rescuers and survivors say.
Indian flood effected villagers walk through water in Laxmipur District some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Efforts to rescue tens of thousands of villagers in northern India still cut off by a monsoon-swollen river have entered a critical stage, aid workers and evacuees say. Those who have managed to escape the worst-hit areas of India's Bihar state say food is running out and people are having to drink the muddy flood water, while aid workers speak of "grim" conditions. Over 600,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas, but rescuing the estimated 350,000 villagers still stranded within the next several days is vital to prevent more deaths, rescuers and survivors say.
Indian flood affected villagers wade through floodwaters in Maheshpur Dsitrict some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Efforts to rescue tens of thousands of villagers in northern India still cut off by a monsoon-swollen river hav entered a critical stage, aid workers and evacuees say. Those who have managed to escape the worst-hit areas of India's Bihar state say food is running out and people are having to drink the muddy flood water, while aid workers speak of "grim" conditions. Over 600,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas, but rescuing the estimated 350,000 villagers still stranded within the next several days is vital to prevent more deaths, rescuers and survivors say.
Indian flood affected villagers sit in an inflatable boat after being rescued by Indian National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel in Laxmipur District some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Efforts to rescue tens of thousands of villagers in northern India still cut off by a monsoon-swollen river have entered a critical stage, aid workers and evacuees say. Those who have managed to escape the worst-hit areas of India's Bihar state say food is running out and people are having to drink the muddy flood water, while aid workers speak of "grim" conditions. Over 600,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas, but rescuing the estimated 350,000 villagers still stranded within the next several days is vital to prevent more deaths, rescuers and survivors say.
Indian flood effected villagers wade through floodwaters in Laxmipur District some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Efforts to rescue tens of thousands of villagers in northern India still cut off by a monsoon-swollen river have entered a critical stage, aid workers and evacuees say. Those who have managed to escape the worst-hit areas of India's Bihar state say food is running out and people are having to drink the muddy flood water, while aid workers speak of "grim" conditions. Over 600,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas, but rescuing the estimated 350,000 villagers still stranded within the next several days is vital to prevent more deaths, rescuers and survivors say.
An Indian flood effected child walks through a relief camp at Banmankhi some 400 kms north-east of Patna on September 3, 2008. Efforts to rescue tens of thousands of villagers in northern India still cut off by a monsoon-swollen river have entered a critical stage, aid workers and evacuees say. Those who have managed to escape the worst-hit areas of India's Bihar state say food is running out and people are having to drink the muddy flood water, while aid workers speak of "grim" conditions. Over 600,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas, but rescuing the estimated 350,000 villagers still stranded within the next several days is vital to prevent more deaths, rescuers and survivors say.
