Flooding gets worse in Tamil Nadu

By T N Gopalan
BBC News, Madras

The state government says relief measures are being taken

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu because of worsening flooding.

Hundreds of villages in northern and central part of the state are under several feet of water.

Vast areas of agricultural land have been inundated following unusually heavy rains.

Normal life has been hit in the state capital, Madras, especially in low-lying areas.

Breached

The state's chief minister, J Jayalalitha, who reviewed the flood situation, said 77,000 people had been put up in 50 relief camps set up by the government in Nagapattinam district.

The delta regions of the state have been badly affected. Many lakes have been breached.

Experts say the prospects for farmers are grim.

A major reservoir in Cuddalore district in the northern part of the state is in danger of being breached putting towns near by at risk, officials say.

Heavy rains in southern India at the end of October killed at least 100 people in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.