1.   But over the last two years, severe drought, in between bouts of flooding, has battered the region once again.

2.   Lately, it seems to some residents that the region is being battered from all sides.

3.   The homes were more vulnerable by the relentless rain that battered the region in recent days.

4.   The homes had been made more vulnerable by the relentless rain that battered the region in recent days.

5.   The homes were made more vulnerable by the relentless rain that battered the region in recent days.

6.   Corber said person-to-person transmission of the disease was rare but noted that it may have spread with the heavy rains that battered the region last month.

7.   Strong winds have battered the region over the past few days.