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Taipei Times - archives: "Tens of thousands flee violent storms in Andhra Pradesh

AGENCIES, HYDERABAD, INDIA
Sunday, Jun 24, 2007, Page 5

Three days of heavy rain and flash floods has left 41 people dead and forced more than 55,000 from their homes in India's southern Andhra Pradesh state, officials said yesterday, sparking a major relief operation.

'We have opened up 95 relief camps ... for 56,000 displaced people and also brought in 200 medical teams to contain the spread of water-related diseases,' said Preeti Sudan, the state's disaster management commissioner.

At least 45 people were reported dead and officials said many others, including fishermen out at sea, were missing after the tropical storm hit coastal regions of the state on Friday.

Coastguard boats were looking for the missing fishermen, who went to sea despite weather warnings, and were distributing food, fresh water and medicine to a huge rural population, some stranded on the roofs of houses and vehicles or up trees."