DISASTROUS FLOODS IN INDIA.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1064, 25 July 1883, Page 3

DISASTROUS FLOODS IN INDIA.

Telegraphic advices from India state that the district of Cachar has been the scene of a terrible calamity. Floods have swept over the district, causing a great , loss of life and property. On may 16 the . Deputy Commissioner of Cachar telegraphed to one of the tea agency houses inpalcatta “ Whole country flooded; cut .off ; agents should charter ■' steamers and flats to save life.” ;Tele- <; grams from various garden managers followed in rapid succession, stating that the district and town were inundated ; ■ tlmCdOinOof fain had fallen'.'in nine days ; r that..the . bazaars and food supplies; had r 1 : beenswept away ; that the water had risen over the roofs of the houses ; that the country people were' crowding into the tea gardens and taking refuge ion elevated spots ; and there was imminent danger of general starvation. On May 17 and,,l§ telegrams to similar effect was re- ‘ ceired, and becoming more r and more urgent for help and succour. ;On the afternoon of May 18, however, a change for Jhe better took place, the water showed signs of subsidence, but thousands of ’- ' people were in peril of starvation. Later advices state, that several of the natives have perished,' but that no Europeans are known to have lost their lives. But for the prompt measures of relief taken by the various tea agencies, .aided by . the authorities, the sacrifice of life by drowning and starvation must have been appalling. It will be; some time before the extent of the.disaster is fully known, and it is feared that wide-spread sickness and mortality will result from the jungle malarias and insufficient food. Heavy .and long-continued raiiis appear to have 1 been the immediate cause of the flood f and last winter’s snowfall having Wen unusually heavy and late throughout the Himalayas and their outlying spurs, it would seem that an enormous body of water has now suddenly been set free.