Floodwaters are starting to recede in the Indian state of Orissa, where at least 84 people have died because of the weather. High water has left more than one million others homeless, and in some cases cut off from others.

The head of the relief operations says the worst seems to be over, but now, health workers face the illness that creeps up after the flooding ends.

At least 15 people have died of diarrhea and 5,000 others have been sickened by it. There are also reports of at least 1,300 cases of malaria.

Some of those stranded by the murky flooding are relying on medicine and food that can reach them only by helicopter.

Effects of the flooding may be felt for some time, as the water wiped out the region's only rice crop of the year.

Monsoon rains triggered the flooding, which is said to be some of the worst to hit the region in 50 years.

The rainy season normally continues until the end of August.