Officials say fresh floods have killed at least 18 people in the same part of eastern India that this month saw the worst cyclone to hit the country in more than a decade.

Torrential rains made rivers spill their banks in India’s eastern coastal states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, forcing thousands to flee their homes, two weeks after cyclone Phailin lashed the coastline.

Local media says at least 30 have died from the floods, which have also disrupted train services in both states.

Tripti Parule, spokeswoman for the National Disaster Management Agency, says some 30 rescue teams, already involved in massive state-wide relief operations, have been deployed in the flood zone to give assistance.

“The administration was already geared up for this situation after cyclone Phailin. The provision of dry food, water packets, medicines… all of it is being taken care of by the states,” she said.

Ms Parule added that she hoped the flooding would subside in 48 hours.

The cyclone that struck India’s eastern coast earlier this month killed at least 22 people and left a trail of destruction.

It pounded the eastern states, bringing winds of more than 200 kilometres an hour, uprooting trees, overturning trucks, snapping power lines and flooding large tracts of farmland.

AFP