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Late Monsoon Fury Kills 100 in North India

Agence France-Presse

   PATNA, INDIA - At least 100 people have died in northern India over the
   last three days in unusually heavy late monsoon rains which have
   submerged streets, hospital wards and houses, officials said Monday.

   Dozens of boats were pressed into service on streets overflowing with
   gushing rain water in Patna, the capital of the eastern state of Bihar,
   after torrential downpours far stronger the normal.

   At least 27 people have lost their lives across the state and another
   63 in neighboring Uttar Pradesh since Friday, authorities said. With
   more rain predicted, weather experts say September could end as the
   wettest in more than a hundred years.

   "Patna alone has recorded some 226 millimeters [8.9 inches] of rainfall
   since Friday," Bihar disaster response official M. Ramachandru told
   AFP.

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