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PATNA - Fears are growing that epidemics will strike the millions marooned or forced from their homes by South Asia's catastrophic floods.
The death toll hit at least 330 yesterday as criticism of relief efforts spread.
The past two weeks have seen some of the worst flooding in memory, affecting 35 million people, 10 million of them made homeless or left stranded.
In India's poor Bihar state, four air force helicopters dropped food, medicine and clothing.
"Each pilot is carrying out 12 sorties a day and they have reported huge devastation in central and north Bihar," said Defence Ministry spokesman Ramesh Kumar Das in Kolkata.
Marzio Babille, Unicef's health chief in India who is co-ordinating United Nations work in Bihar, said authorities must do more to prevent outbreaks of measles, gastroenteritis, dengue fever and other diseases, or "we will see many deaths".
- Reuters
