'BHUBANESWAR (AFP) – A herd of elephants in India has forced 500 villagers to flee to relief camps after the wild animals killed at least seven people and trampled hundreds of homes, officials said Monday.
Angry residents blockaded a major highway last week to demand action against the marauding elephants, which have been causing chaos for more than a month.
The relief camps opened on Sunday near the villages of Simonbadi and Kirikutty, about 245 kilometres (150 miles) from Orissa's state capitalBhubaneswar in the east of India.
"We have housed over 500 people in two camps with adequate food and a medical team," local administrator Krishen Kumar told AFP after visiting the camps.
"Most people have lost their thatched houses, destroyed by the wild herd. We have the mandate to open more camps until the forestry department is able to dispel the elephants."
Orissa's forestry department said it was trying to steer the herd of 14 animals away from the villages.
"A team of 120 have been busy trying to push the elephants back to their habitat sanctuary. We are obviously worried about how to stop this herd from menacing people," an official who declined to be named told AFP.
Elephant attacks in Orissa have become an increasing problem as their forest habitat dwindles due to human encroachment.'
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