NEW DELHI (AP) - Two massive, rain-soaked cities on opposite sides of the world are struggling with swirling, brackish waters that have brought death and devastation. For Houston, it’s unprecedented. For Mumbai, it’s painfully common.
Across South Asia, floods are regular, cataclysmic occurrences made worse by breakneck urban development and population booms. In the last two months, more than 1,000 people have been killed in flooding events across India, southern Nepal and northern Bangladesh. Some 40 million more have seen their homes, businesses or crops destroyed.
The amount of rain Hurricane Harvey dumped on Houston in the past week was unprecedented not only for the city but also for the continental United States. Mumbai, however, experienced similar flooding just 12 years ago and several major Indian cities have been inundated since then.
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