Assam flood waters rise

By Subir Bhaumik
BBC correspondent in Calcutta

Nearly half a million people have been made homeless so far by floods in India's north eastern state of Assam.

Weather experts say the waters may rise further

Two of the state's biggest rivers - the Brahmaputra and the Barak - are continuing to rise sharply due to heavy rains.

The chaos caused by the floods is happening as people in some parts of India are praying for rain.

Indian army personnel are helping in the worst hit areas where more than 300 villages have been submerged.

Officials say four districts - Lakhimpur and Dhemaji in northern Assam and Karimganj and Hailakandi in southern Assam - have been particularly badly hit.

Army help

Nearly half a million people have been affected and made homeless.

The army has now assisting the civil administration in the four worst hit districts after several flood protection embankments were broken.

Water levels in the tributaries of the Brahmaputra and the Barak are also rising.

Officials said the floods were now spreading to some other districts as well.

Weather officials say there are likely to be further rains in Assam and other parts of northeast India.

They say that further rains would make an already difficult situation much worse.