73 dead in landslides, floods in northeast India

GAUHATI, India (AP) — The death toll from flash floods and landslides in India’s northeast rose to 73 on Wednesday as rescue workers reached homes cut off by the rising waters, officials said.

A senior government official in Meghalaya state, Barkos Warjri, said at least 35 bodies were recovered over the last two days and about 15 people were still missing. Police in neighboring Assam state said 38 people were killed there.

Hundreds of thousands of people in both states have been forced from their homes, officials said.

The area is prone to flooding during the June-to-September monsoon season. In June, at least 11 people were killed in heavy flooding in Assam’s Gauhati city.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up