1.   The danger now is that rapidly receding flood waters will suck the crumbling dikes into the rivers, inundating already evacuated towns.

2.   Clear weather and receding flood waters in recent days have encouraged refugees to return to their wrecked homes in hopes of salvaging some of their possessions.

3.   Thousands of soldiers and police waded into receding flood waters to search for missing people.

4.   Health authorities have issued public warnings not to drink water from the river, saying the receding flood waters contained a serious risk of cholera and typhoid.

5.   But receding floods had left contaminated water and a serious health situation, they said.