The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Patna

Flood victims in eastern India were eating raw wheat flour to survive as devastating monsoon flooding in South Asia continued to spread misery among millions.

Nearly 2,000 people have been killed by snake bites, drowning, diarrhoea and in house collapses since July when swollen rivers burst their banks, inundating huge areas in eastern India and Bangladesh.

The toll rose by 74 over the weekend. In Bihar, villagers were eating wheat flour after mixing it with water because they could not cook, underlying the inadequacy of government relief efforts, even after weeks of flooding. "My family has been chewing flour soaked in water to survive as we do not have access to firewood to make rotis (bread)," said Genu Sada, 90, in Begusarai district on Sunday.

At least 60 bodies were found by authorities since Saturday, pushing the death toll to 480 in Bihar since floods began in mid-July, officials said.

Angry at meagre relief supplies, villagers blocked roads on Saturday evening at eight places in the state, demanding more food, witnesses said.

"We are doing whatever we can to help the people in crisis," said Satish Chandra Jha, a senior government official.