Army establishment washed away in Kargil, flood grim in AP, Mah, Guj

New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) The flood situation in various parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh continues to be grim even as the headquarters of the 121 Infantry Brigade in Kargil was washed away in a flash flood in the afternoon.

At least 255 people have died in Maharashtra since August 5.

Flood control authorities in Gujarat have asked people of the central part of the state to vacate the low lying areas amid fears of another ''flash flood'' in following the release of 11 lakh cusecs of water from Kadana and Panam dams built on Mahi-Sagar river which would flood down streams areas.

More than Rs 25,000 crore losses in Surat and Vadodra region, so far, has been reported.

In Kargil, at Baroo was the 121 Infantry Brigade Headquarters washed away in a flash flood this afternoon, official sources said.

They said a sudden flash flood in a nullah near Iqbal bridge washed away more than two dozen concrete bunkers.

Sources and eyewitnesses said they could see computers and other articles being washed away by the flood water.

The flood water had also entered the room where arms and ammunition were stored, sources said.

At least 255 people have died and 31 others are reported missing, while 3.59 lakh people have been evacuated from low-lying areas all over Maharashtra due to rains and flood since August 5.

State Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil told reporters here that over 6.12 lakh people from 7,375 villages of 209 talukas in Maharashtra have been affected.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made an aerial survey of the flood-affected states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and announced Rs 600 crore for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims in the two states. At least 255 people have died so far in Maharashtra in the past week.

Dr Singh later toured Gujarat.

Dr Singh announced an additional relief of Rs 200 crore for Andhra Pradesh while in Hyderabad from the National Calamity Contingency Fund and Rs one lakh each for the families of 110 people killed in the floods in Andhra Pradesh.

In Maharashtra's Nanded , he told mediapersons the Centre will immediately provide an assistance of Rs 400 crore to the state for relief work. Of this, Rs 220 crore would be made available from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and Rs 180 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF).

In Gujarat, rains continued to lash Central, North and Southern parts of the state, even as there has been a lull in Saurashtra and Kutch regions.

The worst affected is Jambughoda area in Panchmahals district where 156 mm rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours.

Authorities told UNI in Gandhinagar that once the 11-lakh cusec water was released from Kadana and Panam dams the four down streams districts -- Vadodara, Kheda, Anand and Panchmahals would be heavily flooded.

MORE UNI TEAM PA ND1942