NEARLY HALF A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAROONED BY FLOODING IN BANGLADESH THIS WEEK, WHILE IN NEIGHBOURING NORTHEAST INDIA AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY OVERFLOWING RIVERS, LANDSLIDES AND LIGHTNING. OFFICIALS ON THE INDIAN SIDE SAID ON WEDNESDAY THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF ASSAM STATE HAD MOVED TO HIGHER GROUND AS RIVERS, SWOLLEN BY HEAVY MONSOON RAINS, BURST THEIR BANKS AND INUNDATED MORE THAN 50 VILLAGES. "WE HAVE ASKED FLOOD CONTROL OFFICIALS TO STRENGTHEN EMBANKMENTS TO PREVENT BREACHES AND ARE CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE SITUATION," SAID ASSAM CHIEF SECRETARY S. KABILAN. POLICE SAID DEATHS HAD BEEN REPORTED OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS FROM WESTERN ASSAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING STATE OF TRIPURA. IN BANGLADESH, OFFICIALS SAID TORRENTS HAD SWEPT TWO PEOPLE TO DEATH AFTER THE MATAMUHURI RIVER FLOODED SEVERAL VILLAGES AT CHOKORIA, 350 KM (220 MILES) SOUTHEAST OF THE CAPITAL, DHAKA. THOUSANDS OF HOMES, MILES OF ROAD AND HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF CROPLAND WERE FLOODED IN THE NORTHEASTERN REGION OF SYLHET, WHERE THE BANKS OF THE KUSHIARA AND SURMA RIVERS WERE BOTH FLOWING ABOVE THEIR DANGER LEVELS, REUTERS REPORTED.
