Mandalay, October 12:

Myanmar today struggled to cope with floods that have so far killed 13 people, according to state media.

The Myanmar authorities evacuated 500 homes on the outskirts of the central city of Mandalay after floodwaters rose overnight, one official said, while residents said about 10,000 people had fled to emergency shelters.

In neighbouring Thailand the death toll from flooding caused by heavy rain in the wake of Typhoon Xangsane rose to 44 today. The floods, which began last August, have affected two million people in 46 provinces, causing an estimated $7 million worth of damage, and deluging 600,000 acres of farmland. Officials said 260,000 people are suffering from flood-related diseases.