Over 1.5 million people hit by floods in Assam

GUWAHATI, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Authorities in Assam are struggling to respond to massive floods which have affected more than 1.5 million people and forced more than 200,000 people to seek refuge in relief camps, senior government officials said on Monday. Heavy monsoon rains in the tea and oil-rich state have caused burgeoning rivers, including the mighty Brahmaputra, to burst their banks, killing more than 50 people this year, including 15 people in the past week. Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the state was unable to provide adequate assistance to flood-hit villagers as it did not have enough resources and called on the federal government in New Delhi for more support.