Disease fears after South Asian floods

Fears grew yesterday that epidemics would strike the millions marooned or forced from their homes by South Asia's catastrophic floods, as the death toll hit at least 330 and criticism of relief efforts spread.

The last two weeks have seen some of the worst flooding in living memory affecting about 35 million people in the region, 10 million of them made homeless or left stranded.

In India's poor Bihar state, four air force helicopters dropped food, medicines and clothing to some of the 10 million affected.

Marzio Babille, Unicef's health chief in India who is coordinating UN work in Bihar, said aid agencies and authorities must do more to prevent outbreaks of measles, gastroenteritis, dengue fever and other diseases, or "we will see many deaths".

Hundreds of thousands are camped out on elevated highways, railway tracks and field embankments as deep floodwaters swirl around them. Unicef is mobilising doctors by land and boat and is immunising children against measles.