Floods hit 15,000

AHMEDABAD: Massive flooding has forced 15,000 people to evacuate villages in the west Indian state of Gujarat, where heavy rains and swollen rivers have inundated cities and closed off roads and railway lines. Officials say two people have died in flood-related incidents. Schools across the districts of Bharuch, Vadodara and Surat remained closed yesterday, while fire brigades, police and disaster response teams were working to rescue people. People waded through thigh-deep water on the streets of Ahmedabad, where waterlogged cars and buses became stranded. AP