Philippine oil slick reaches Iloilo City

The massive oil spill off Panay island in the Philippines has reached the city of Iloilo as cleanup efforts intensified.

Planes and ships dropped chemical dispersants on the slick as the Japanese ship Shinsei Maru began preparations to salvage the sunken tanker Solar I.

Grassroots efforts aimed at combating the spill utilize human hair and dried grass to soak up the toxic sludge floating on waters off Panay's coast.


A worker arranges bags of relief goods for distribution to the oil spill affected families Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006 in the town of Nueva Valencia on Guimaras island in central Philippines. Similar plastic bags filled with donated human hair are being used to soak up oil residues in the affected area. AP Photo/Ariel Catubig via Yahoo News.

India rushes help to flooded state

Troops and helicopters came to the rescue in India's flood-ravaged state of Rajasthan on Friday.

More than 150 people have died and thousands are homeless in the Jodhpur and Barmer districts.


An Indian woman carries her child in a basket as she wades through floodwaters in the village of Kudla. AFP via Yahoo News.

Ten days of heavy monsson rains brought flash floods to many areas of the state, which had previously been suffering from drought.

Huge lakes up to 10 kilometers wide formed in Rajashtan's deserts where the non-porous tablerock could take months to absorb the water.

"It's already a nightmare as we see from the geological point of view," said a spokesman from the state-run Central Arid Zone Research Institute, based in the flood-hit district of Jodhpur.

At least 35 dead in Ganges boat accident

A boat capsized in the Ganges river on the outskirts of Patna Thursday killing at least 35 people.

The boat was carrying 60 passengers including farmers and children when it sank.

"Sixteen people swam to safety so we expect around 35 to 40 people are missing," said AK Upadhyay, deputy inspector general of police.


Hindu devotees ride boats on the River Ganges during the Teej festival in Allahabad, Aug. 26, 2006. AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh from Yahoo News.