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Deadly 'rat fever' in flood-ravaged Indian state

"Rat fever" and other diseases have killed 14 people in the southern Indian state of Kerala after the worst floods in almost a century, authorities said on Tuesday (04).

The separate death toll from the monsoon floods that forced more than a million people from their homes in Kerala last month has meanwhile risen to 486, the government said.


"We had anticipated leptospirosis (rat fever) due to contaminated water and are taking all measures to distribute preventive drugs in camps," Kerala health director Sarita R L told AFP.

Leptospirosis, transmitted in water containing urine from rodents and other animals, has killed six people and infected more than 100 while other diseases have left eight dead.

Cases of malaria, dengue fever and chicken pox have also been reported. More than 5,100 people have acute diarrhoea, authorities said.

The floodwaters have now receded and fewer than 10,000 people remain in temporary camps, down from 1.4 million at the height of the crisis.

The monsoon, which lasts from June to September, causes widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year.

The death toll in India this year currently stands at 1,400 across 10 states, and heavy rainfall is forecasted in several areas in the coming days.

In the north-eastern state of Nagaland, 11 people have died and 50,000 others are stranded across some 530 villages, with roads including the national highway into the state cut.

Nagaland's chief minister Neiphiu Rio took to Twitter to appeal for donations, posting photos of the widespread damage and saying that 10 relief camps have been opened.

In the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, around 270 people have perished.

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UK’s first major South Asian music

Homegrown marks a new moment for South Asian music talent in the UK

Instagram/playbackcreates

Playback Creates announces Homegrown as UK’s first major South Asian music development push for new talent

Highlights:

  • New platform aims to support South Asian creatives in Wolverhampton and the Black Country
  • Homegrown will mentor up to ten emerging music artists aged 16–30
  • Funded by Arts Council England with Punch Records as a key partner
  • Final live showcase scheduled for March 2026

Playback Creates has launched its new Homegrown programme, a move the organisation says will change access and opportunity for young British South Asian artists. The primary focus is South Asian music development, and there’s a clear effort to create space for voices that have not been supported enough in the industry. It comes at a time when representation and career routes are still a challenge for many new acts.

UK\u2019s first major South Asian music Homegrown marks a new moment for South Asian music talent in the UK Instagram/playbackcreates

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