Death toll hits 2,000 from South Asia floods

NEW DELHI (AFP) - The number of deaths triggered by monsoon flooding in India, Bangladesh and Nepal since June crossed 2,000 on Thursday even as the torrents receded, officials said.

India's home ministry disaster management division reported 1,521 deaths up to Wednesday afternoon alone.

"The latest death toll is 1,521," said a home ministry spokesman in New Delhi.

In India's worst-hit state Bihar where 1.1 million hectares (2.7 million acres) of farmland has been inundated, "the situation is gradually improving," he added.

In Bangladesh, the toll rose to 346 after at least 18 more deaths were reported, said Shafiqul Islam, a spokesman for the Food and Disaster Management Ministry.

Kathmandu has reported 95 dead since the monsoon started in June and 330,000 people were displaced.

In Bihar's capital Patna, officials said Thursday that 28 more people had died, while neighbouring Uttar Pradesh reported four more deaths overnight.

The Indian home ministry's figures do not include scores of people still missing from numerous boating accidents during the floods.

The ministry said 6,496 villages were under water in Bihar affecting a population of 13.8 million, although it has not rained for several days now.

In Uttar Pradesh 2,412 villages remain submerged. Some 233 relief camps have been set up and taken in 167,000 people.

"Airdropping of food is continuing. Medical teams are being deployed by the government. The administration has set up 820 relief camps in which 549,052 people are accommodated," it said, adding that thousands of boats were deployed to rescue stranded people.

Huge swathes of Uttar Pradesh and Assam states have been submerged as well as eastern Bihar.

Assam relief minister Bhumidhar Barman told AFP that 870,000 hectares were flooded and 9,291 homes destroyed in the north-eastern state.

The United Nations and non-governmental organisations and charities have joined major government relief efforts involving military forces and aircraft.