50 feared dead after floods wash bus away
Rains flooded roads in a southern Indian state, and the waters washed away a bus today, killing at least 18 people, an official said. Another 32 people were feared drowned, and the bus driver and conductor were arrested.
The bus driver defied a police order against trying to cross a bridge that had been flooded out in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu state, J. Rajendran, the district’s police chief said.
While trying cross the span, the bus carrying some 75 people was swept away and ended up in the Sanavali River, about 370 miles south-west of Madras, the state capital, he said.
Rescuers had so far pulled 18 bodies from the water, and 25 people were found alive, including the driver and conductor, both of whom were arrested for defying the police order, Rajendran said.
Authorities said that at least 32 people remained missing and feared drowned.
“We are just hoping many people swam their way to safety and did not get drowned with the bus,” Rajendran said.
Persistent rains flooded most of Tamil Nadu state and disrupted road and rail services in recent days, and officials have warned of more rain.
As many as 16 trains were cancelled and 12 others diverted today.
