THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER, MRS INDIRA GANDHI, YESTERDAY (MONDAY) HOISTED HER COUNTRY'S FLAG IN A TORRENTIAL RAINSTORM IN NEW DELHI AS INDIA CELEBRATED THE 19TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS INDEPENDENCE.

AS MRS GANDHI SPOKE TO A HUDDLED CROWD, A MILD EARTHQUAKE SHOOK THE CITY AND NEARBY THE RIVER JUMNA WAS FLOODING THE COUNTRYSIDE.

IT WAS MRS GANDHI'S FIRST INDEPENDENCE DAY CEREMONY AND ONE OF THE WETTEST SINCE HER FATHER, JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, HOISTED THE FIRST FREEDOM FLAG ON THE RAMPARTS OF THE RED FORT IN DELHI IN 1947.

MRS GANDHI CALLED IN HER SPEECH FOR EVERY INDIAN TO PLEDGE HIMSELF A NEW TO FIGHT INJUSTICE, POVERTY AND INEQUALITY. SHE SAID INDIANS MUST RETURN TO THE SPIRIT OF PRE-INDEPENDENCE DAYS AND THE IDEALS OF MAHATMA GANDHI - NON - VIOLENCE, TRUTH AND SELF-RELIANCE.

NEAR NEW DELHI, MORE THAN 2,000 VILLAGERS ARE HOMELESS SINCE THE RIVER JUMNA BROKE ITS BANKS LAST THURSDAY AND FLOODED THE COUNTRYSIDE.

THATCHED MUD AND BRICK HUTS CRUMBLED INTO THE SWIRLING WATER. MEN AND WOMEN CARRIED CHILDREN IN ARMS AND BUNDLES ON THEIR HEADS TO GOVERNMENT RELIEF CENTRES.

MANY VILLAGES ALONG THE JUMNA ARE STILL ABANDONED FROM THE FIRST WAVE OF MONSOON FLOODING TWO WEEKS AGO.