At least 44 killed in north India floods

At least 44 people were killed and thousands moved to relief camps because of flooding caused by torrential rains in northern India's Uttar Pradesh state, officials told AFP yesterday.  Densely populated regions on the banks of two main rivers in the state, which are overflowing because of incessant rainfall in the last 24-48 hours, are among the worst hit. Officials and local media reports said most people lost their lives for a variety of reasons including wall collapses, drowning, lightning and snake bites. Flash floods after heavy rains killed at least 17 people in western India's Maharashtra state earlier this week.