Officials in India's north-eastern state of Tripura say at least forty refugees have died of gastro-enteritis in the past three days.

Hundreds more have been admitted to hospital.

The victims, mainly elderly people and children, are among thirty-five thousand members of the Reang tribe from the neighbouring state of Mizoram who fled to Tripura last year to escape what they said were attacks by the dominant Mizo community.

Tripura officials say that the situation in the camps is likely to get worse if the refugees are not repatriated soon.

They say that the state government cannot afford to improve the temporary camps which have sheltered the refugees for the last six months.