Nightmare Rains Paralyze Bombay


Jul 27, 3:55 PM (ET)

By RAMOLA TALWAR BADAM

BOMBAY, India (AP) - India's financial capital was paralyzed Wednesday by
the strongest rains ever recorded in Indian history, with torrential downpours
- 37 inches in one day - marooning drivers, forcing students to sleep at
school and snapping communication lines. At least 200 people died.

At its worst, the rainfall descended in what looked like a solid wall of water,
overwhelming Bombay, a crowded city long accustomed to monsoon rains.

"Never before in Bombay's history has this happened," said Police Commissioner
A.N. Roy. "Our first priority is to rescue people stranded in floods."

"Approximately 200 dead bodies have already been recovered in the state,"
deputy chief minister R.R. Patil told The Associated Press, adding that an
additional 100 deaths were feared across Maharashtra state, where Bombay is
the capital.

....

India's previous heaviest rainfall, recorded in the northeastern town of
Cherrapunji - one of the rainiest places on Earth - was 33 inches on July 12,
1910, Sharma said.

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mo

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050727/D8BJUD083.html
http://au.news.yahoo.com/050727/19/v9dj.html

--
Eric Swanson --- E-mail address: e_swanson(at)skybest.com :-)
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