Report: Toll in south India floods rises to 102

People look at an overflowing dam in Dindi, in Andhra Pradesh state, India, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. Torrential rains destroyed hundreds of homes and caused heavy flooding in southern India, killing at least 15 people and forcing thousands to flee to higher ground, an official said Thursday. The late monsoon flooding in the past two days also damaged roads and inundated rice crops over an area of nearly 120 square miles (300 square kilometers) in Andhra Pradesh state. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

By The Associated Press

Oct. 2, 2009 5:59 AM PT

NEW DELHI —

At least 35 more people died Friday after flash floods washed away thousands of homes in southern India, pushing the death toll from this week’s heavy rains to 102, officials and media said.

In worst-hit Karnataka state, floods have destroyed at least 26,000 houses, submerged roads and snapped communication links in many areas.

On Friday, district officials in Karnataka reported the deaths of 35 people, pushing the death toll over the past two days to 86, with many more people reported missing, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

Army troops have begun rescue operations and helicopters are dropping food and drinking water packets in the worst-affected areas, about 600 kilometers (375 miles) north of the state capital, Bangalore.

Scores of villages in 11 districts in northern Karnataka were submerged and people had fled to higher ground, a top official said.

“Northern Karnataka is reeling from unprecedented rainfall. At least 26,000 houses have collapsed,” Karnataka’s chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said.

Late monsoon flooding has hit a large swathe across southern India. On Thursday, torrential rains and widespread flooding killed at least 16 people in neighboring Andhra Pradesh state.