Crocodiles swept into Indian city as monsoon flooding kills 132

At least 132 people have died in flooding caused by monsoon rains in the Indian state of Gujarat. More than 400,000 people have been left homeless as entire villages were submerged.

Even as the rains eased yesterday, there were new dangers from crocodiles and snakes swept into the city of Baroda by the floods. Seven crocodiles, up to 1.7 metres long, were caught in the city centre, including on a university campus. At least 65 snakes have been washed into the city centre, many of them highly venomous. Two people were injured trying to catch a crocodile.

A soldier drowned during a mission last week to save 354 rail passengers who were trapped for two days after their train was caught in a flash flood. The passengers were up to their necks in water from Thursday morning until late on Friday, and one passenger's mobile phone was their only link to the outside world.

India has been suffering droughts after poor monsoons in recent years. But this year parts of Gujarat have received three-quarters of their average monsoon rainfall in a few days.