India's flood toll climbs above 1,000

Posted Fri Aug 3, 2007 10:50pm AEST

The death toll in India alone has crossed the 1,000 mark. (Reuters: Utpal Baruah)

The death toll has climbed and millions are marooned as monsoon rains sweep across northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

In India alone the number of dead has crossed the 1,000 mark, with new victims reported from northern Uttar Pradesh state.

Bihar state chief secretary AK Chowdhury says the flooding is the worst in three decades.

"The flood situation is very, very serious, the situation we have now is unprecedented in the past 30 years," he said.

Uttar Pradesh relief commissioner Umesh Sinha says 21 deaths occurred overnight (local time) in three eastern districts hardest hit by the heavy flooding.

The figures bring to 1,028 the number of people reported killed in India in the annual downpour, which began in June and lasts until September.

More deaths have also been reported in the states of Bihar, West Bengal and Assam.

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