NEW DELHI, July 13 (RIA Novosti) - At least 120 villages were flooded and 40,000 people forced to flee when a protective dike burst in the state of Assam, in northeast India, local officials said Friday.
According to Indian media, water began overflowing the banks of the river Kumota Thursday as the result of heavy monsoon rains, washing away homes and stranding thousands. No casualty figures are available yet.
By Friday, the affected district was completely cut off from the outside world, as all major roads and bridges were underwater.
"Had help not arrived in time, heavy casualties would have been inevitable," a local official said. "Evacuating 30,000-40,000 people in seven to eight hours is no easy task."
Those flooded out of their homes have now found shelter in local schools.
Those who could not be airlifted out of the area for lack of adequate landing sites were airdropped food and water.
