At Least 99 Killed In Heaviest Indian Rains Ever Seen - Mumbai Shuts Down

[hatrack]

At least 99 people have died in floods and landslides in western India after the strongest rains ever recorded in the country. Bombay was brought to a halt as floodwaters raged through the financial capital, forcing thousands of people to be evacuated and stranding tens of thousands more.

Rescue teams began digging for survivors after a landslide flattened or buried more than 30 houses in the village of Juigaon, 150km south of Bombay. "It is very likely that a large number of people would have died in that landslide," Krishna Vatsa, state relief secretary, said. "But we are hoping to find survivors." The army, navy and air force were called in to help as floodwaters swept the coast of Maharashtra state.

The sudden rains saw up to 94.4 centimetres fall in one day in suburban Bombay. Meteorologists said heavy rains and high winds were forecast to continue for another 48 hours.

"Most places in India don't receive this kind of rainfall in a year. This is the highest ever recorded in India's history," R.V. Sharma, director of the meteorological department in Bombay, said. "We have to compare it with world records to find out if this was the highest in the world."

EDIT

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/27/uindia.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/07/27/ixportaltop.html

[wli]

1. global warming, anyone?

[kestrel91316]

2. No, silly! This is all perfectly normal. Now move along.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Death toll up to 500 now

The story has made the major news networks, too.

--p!

[Delphinus]

4. And they just had an oil rig fire ...

at least three killed and the rig out of commission for months.