Helicopters are dropping emergency food parcels into villages stranded by monsoon floods in southern Asia. More than 450 people have died in India, Bangladesh and Nepal and 10 million have been left homeless or standed.

Even more are facing food shortages and the threat of waterborne diseases. Air force helicopters are dropping desperately needed aid to those marooned by some of the worst flooding to hit the region in 30 years. The helicopters have dropped thousands of food packets to desperate residents. Desperate measures were needed in Bangladesh where the militarybacked interim leader Fakhruddin Ahmed appealed to all Bangladeshis to join the army and government efforts to get aid to the flood affected people.