MORE than one million people are now homeless after the devastation left by Cyclone Phailin in India, where torrential rain is still hampering emergency relief efforts.

The cyclone hit two weeks ago, and a well-planned mass evacuation meant that there were fewer fatalities than there would otherwise have been, but crops and homes were destroyed. Millions of those who were evacuated are returning to their destroyed homes, and have no shelter from the latest heavy rains.

Christian Aid said that the cyclone had affected about 14 million people, and more than 300,000 hectares of land had been destroyed.

A Christian Aid emergency officer, Yeeshu Shukla, said: "The affected areas have seen huge damage to infrastructure, and more than one million people have lost their homes and businesses. They now face further bad weather, and an uncertain future. . .

"There's also a high risk of illness, especially diarrhoea, as a consequence of contaminated water supplies. . . Approximately 100,000 people still remain in school-based shelters, but these will close this week as children return to school, forcing many people to go back to their devastated villages."

The Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, this week praised the preparation for the cyclone.