More than 1,000 people rescued from flood-stranded train in India
More than a thousand people were trapped aboard a train near Mumbai, India, as floodwaters submerged the tracks Friday night.
Aerial footage released by the Indian Navy showed the Mahalaxmi Express at a standstill completely surrounded by floodwaters. The BBC says 1,050 people were ordered to stay aboard for around 15 hours, without food or water.
The passengers have since been rescued by the authorities, using helicopters and inflatable boats to ferry them to safety over the course of several hours. The BBC says a temporary camp has been set up to offer food and medicine, and the train operator says alternative travel arrangements will be made.
Elsewhere in the area, flood rescues have continued, with the Indian Air Force releasing footage of one operation in Kalyan, also in the greater Mumbai area:
India Today reports nine people were stranded by floodwaters atop a building. All were rescued successfully and taken to Mumbai Airport.
The BBC says at least 600 people have died in monsoon-related floods over the past few weeks across the South Asian region. The latest flooding was the result of heavy rains over the past week, and India's meteorological service says more downpours, ranging from light to heavy, are expected.
India Today says that aside from rail service disruptions and cancellations, the flooding has also caused traffic chaos and forced at least nine flights to be diverted.
