Heavy rain and unprecedented floods have killed at least 85 people over the past two days in the desert state of Rajasthan in northwest India, a news agency report said. Tens of thousands of people have been left homeless after their homes were submerged by the floods which inundated large swaths of Barmer district in Rajasthan on Friday, Press Trust of India said. Around 75,000 cows and other farm animals have perished and thousands of hectares (acres) of crops have been destroyed after torrential rains and floods hit late on Thursday. Army helicopters and soldiers helped evacuate thousands of villagers to safer areas, while many Barmer residents climbed to the top of sand dunes and trees as the flood waters rose, PTI said.
