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AV Flooded area (4 shots)
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Initials CL/0211 2345/0115/0225



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Flood waters surging through broken embankments of the River Ganges have caused some of india's worst floods ever.

The worst hit state is Bihar, especially the capital city, Patna. The Indian Army and Air Force mounted one of their biggest peace time operations on Wednesday (27 August) to provide relief to hundreds of thousands of people marooned in the city.

Air force transports from all over India flew in essential food and medical supplies for the eastern city to a make-shift airfield.

No deaths have been reported there so far but officials have warned of the possibility of epidemic diseases.

In the neighbouring state of Orissa, however, at least 43 people have died in the floods and another 32 have been reported missing, believed drowned at sea.

Most of Patna is under about 10 feet (3 metres) of water and thousands of people are homeless. Many of them have no food and the Defence Ministry has been airlifting in cans of drinking water. The army has also provided emergency kitchens.

The flooding in Bihar state has been described as unprecedented.