Philippines begins clean-up after monsoon rains kill scores

Reuters: The Philippines has started massive clean-up efforts after floods swept the capital and nearby provinces after nearly 2 weeks of monsoon rains killed 91 people.Power, water and communication services were restored as floodwaters started to recede. Disaster officials say nearly 300,000 people remain in temporary shelters.

Photo: A resident traverses between 2 buildings on a rope in Psig City, east of Manila, Philippines on Aug. 9, 2012. (Francis R Malasig / EPA)

Monsoon rains in Manila force 270,000 to flee

Reuters: Deadly torrential rains submerged much of the Philippine capital, Manila, Tuesday, forcing nearly 270,000 to flee their homes. More flooding is expected in the north of the country as a tropical storm passes through, officials say.

The Philippines weather bureau says steady rains for the past 10 days, killing more than 50, are set to continue until Wednesday. “It’s like ‘Waterworld,’” the head of the Philippines national disaster agency says.

Photo: A resident pushes his bicycle through murky floodwaters in Quezon City in suburban Manila, Philippines, on Aug. 7, 2012. (Jay Directo / AFP - Getty Images)

Floods strand villages, kill 77 in India’s Assam state

Reuters:

At least 77 people have been killed and nearly 2 million affected by heavy monsoon rains that caused floods in India’s northeastern Assam state, in what the prime minister on Monday called one of the worst such disasters to strike recently.

Authorities have given shelter, food and medicines to thousands of homeless people, and deployed mobile medical teams to prevent the outbreak of disease.

Photo: An Indian Air Force helicopter distributes relief materials at a flood hit area in Sonitpur, Assam, India, on July 1, 2012. (AP)