18 die in India hospital as floods cut off power

A Hindu temple is partially submerged in flood waters of an over-flowing Adyar River in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015. Weeks of torrential rains have forced the Chennai airport in southern India to close and have cut off several roads and highways, leaving tens of thousands of people stranded in their homes, government officials said Wednesday. AP

NEW DELHI — Officials say 18 patients have died in a hospital after rain waters knocked out generators of the building in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state that has been hit by severe floods over the past week.

State officials are investigating complaints of negligence by hospital authorities in the state capital Chennai, which is reeling from unprecedented floods.

READ: Rescuers race to reach victims of deadly India floods

Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan says 18 patients were in the intensive care unit when a power outage affected ventilators in the hospital.

Army soldiers using boats have rescued thousands of residents marooned in high-rise buildings and launched massive relief operations to provide food and medicines.

Tens of thousands of people are still in relief camps Saturday as they wait for the floods to recede.