Authorities race to identify bodies as rescue workers reach new areas and fear monsoon death toll will rise furtherSevere monsoon flooding has killed 213 people in western India, an official said on Sunday, as rescuers continue to sift through villages devastated by torrential rains. The death toll in Gujarat state jumped from Wednesday’s total of 123 to 213, the government said, as waters receded from low-lying areas, allowing rescue workers to reach remote spots. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Soldiers bring to safety stranded flood victims in Khariya village, Gujarat. “Since many bodies were found, postmortems took time, hence the sudden jump in numbers,” the official, who requested anonymity, said. In Assam at least 77 people have been killed and a state-wide emergency relief operation has been underway since April.

Source: The Guardian July 31, 2017 04:52 UTC