Fears grew today that epidemics would strike the millions marooned or forced from their homes by South Asia's catastrophic floods as the death toll climbed to 320 and criticism of relief efforts spread.
The last two weeks have seen some of the worst flooding in living memory affecting about 35 million people in the region, 10 million of them made homeless or left stranded.
In India's poor Bihar state, four air force helicopters dropped food, medicines and clothing to some of the 10 million affected.
"Each pilot is carrying out 12 sorties a day and they have reported huge devastation in central and north Bihar," said Ramesh Kumar Das, a Defence Ministry spokesman in Kolkata.
Marzio Babille, UNICEF's health chief in India who is coordinating UN work in Bihar, said aid agencies and authorities must do more to prevent outbreaks of measles, gastroenteritis, dengue fever and other diseases, or "we will see many deaths". He said 20 helicopters were needed in Bihar, where 87 people have died.
Hundreds of thousands are camped out on elevated highways, railway tracks and field embankments as deep floodwaters swirl around them.
Annual monsoon rains are a mixed blessing, vital for farmers but killing hundreds every year. This year much of eastern India and two-thirds of Bangladesh have been inundated.
The Indian government says more than 1,100 people have died in this year's monsoon, not including the latest casualties.
Babille said in the 15 days to Aug. 2, 90 cm (35 inches) of rain had fallen in Bihar's worst affected areas, compared to annual average rainfall of 1.3 metres.