Monsoon rains devastate South Asia

Seasonal monsoon rains in South Asia have triggered floods resulting in the deaths of more than 950 people and adversely affecting nearly 40 million residents, authorities said Thursday. The extremely heavy rainfall in northern India, northern Bangladesh, and southern Nepal has caused landslides and washed away thousands of homes. The South Asia monsoon season runs from June to September, and authorities say the death toll could rise as the waters begin to recede. Northern Indian states have been the hardest hit, accounting for 680 deaths, while rescue volunteers and army troops have evacuated about 770,000 people from the most affected areas. Indian health official Badri Vishal said authorities have started distributing mosquito repellant and water purification tablets to the worst hit areas to fight the spread of infections as the water recedes. The Disaster Management Ministry in Bangladesh said 152 people have died there, with floods affecting 15 million others. In Nepal, authorities tallied 146 deaths, with 30 other people missing.