- Indian authorities say the lives of more than 20 million
people have been disrupted by the heavy monsoon rains in Mumbai (Bombay)
and surrounding areas.
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- Meteorologists warn of heavy rain and strong winds in
the next 24 hours.
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- Repairing the damage could cost the city up to $10bn
(£5.7bn), a senior Indian official told the BBC.
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- A third of the city is said to be completely paralysed.
Its centre is under water and the local transport system has been badly
hit.
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- Indian officials have also warned that the number of
people who have died could soon rise to 1,000, as rescue workers are still
trying to recover bodies from flooded areas.
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- Anger
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- Authorities have urged Mumbai's residents to stay indoors.
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- Schools have been shut again. The Stock Exchange and
some offices are open, but many employees are struggling to get to work.
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- Despite earlier disruptions, flights are currently taking
off from the airport.
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- There may be a respite from Tuesday, with rain forecast
to ease.
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- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has offered federal
assistance to Maharashtra state, and ordered the army to help communities
hit by the floods.
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- Rescuers elsewhere in Maharashtra state are still finding
bodies in landslides.
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- Thousands have protested on the streets at what they
say is slow government response.
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- The BBC's Zubair Ahmed says there is widespread anger,
particularly as animal carcasses and human bodies are floating in the streets,
causing fears of epidemics.
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- Residents complain of power blackouts and a lack of drinking
water. In central Mumbai, some citizens say they have been without electricity
for five days.
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- Epidemics
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- Police are touring affected areas calling through loudspeakers
for calm and for residents not to believe rumours. On Thursday, 22 people
died in a shantytown in a stampede caused by a false report of a tsunami.
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- The downpours began last weekend and last Tuesday Mumbai
received more than 65cm (26 inches) of rain - the heaviest recorded in
India's history, causing havoc in a city known for its inadequate infrastructure.
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- About half of those killed in Maharashtra have died in
Mumbai - drowned, electrocuted or buried in landslides.
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- The spread of waterborne epidemics remains a major concern.
City workers sprayed insecticide to combat malaria.
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- About 200 medical teams have left Mumbai for affected
towns and villages elsewhere in the state, while 30,000 health workers
have been deployed in the city.
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- Meanwhile in the central state of Andhra Pradesh, police
say seven people have died and another four are missing presumed dead after
floods in the city of Indore.
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- About 12,000 people were moved to safety as mud-walled
houses and old buildings began to collapse.
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- The city has been hit by 15cm of rain in the past 24
hours.
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- ASIAN MONSOON
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- * The word 'monsoon' comes from the Arabic for 'season'
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- * Describes seasonal reversals of wind direction
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- * From April heat builds over South Asia, creating low
pressure areas
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- * Brings moisture-rich south-west winds in from the ocean
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- © BBC MMV
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4733897.stm
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