Heavy rainfall in Assam, India since early June has killed at least 18 people till Thursday and has flooded 21 districts in the state. Assam Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka said that the toll was likely to rise as unconfirmed reports of four more persons dying have come in from different parts. The minister said that a total of 850,000 people and about 70,000 hectares of cropland have been affected so far by the floods. The surging flood waters have breached embankments of the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries at least at 25 different locations.