The flood situation today eased in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka which were swamped by torrential rains since last week by the receding monsoon. The death toll, however mounted to 269 with more bodies being found. There was let up in the rains in the past two days in<br/>Karnataka giving some respite to the flood victims, large numbers of whom were now lodged in transit camps. The toll in Karnataka is 206, and around 2.5 lakh houses have either collapsed or damaged by the torrential rains with as many as 1 crore 80 lakh people badly hit.<br/>With the floods subsiding, the state machinery is now concentrating on relief work. The state government has set up more than 1,200 rehabilitation centres and over 3.5 lakh rain and flood affected people are being provided food and temporary shelter. The state has demanded Rs. 16,500 crore from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation works.<br/>In Andhra Pradesh, the situation also showed signs of improvement but reports of flood-related deaths continued to pour in with the official toll standing at 63. About 16 lakh people continued to reel under the impact of floods that have submerged large areas of human habitation and caused severe damaged crops in the five districts of Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Krishna, Guntur and Nalgonda.<br/>Over 3 lakh 60 thousand flood victims have taken shelter in 277 relief camps, officials sources said. The water level in Prakasam Barrage, which has been hit by the worst-ever floods in over a 100 years, stood at<br/>21.8 feet. The state government has demanded an interim aid of Rs. 6,000 crore from the Centre.<br/>In Orissa, flood water is fast receeding in Baleshwar and Bhadrak district as there has been no rains in last two days. Water level in major rivers like Budhabalanga, Kansabansa, Sona, Jalaka and Baitarani is flowing below the danger mark.<br/>However, low lying areas are submerged by flood water and affected people are yet to get the relief material. In Goa, the state govt. has started assessing the losses caused due to devastating rains that lashed their state last weekend. According to preliminary estimates, the state suffered a loss of more than Rs. 100 crore.<br/>Meanwhile, the Centre today assured flood-ravaged Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh that funds will not be a constraint for relief and rehabilitation and asked them to focus on providing succour to the affected people.<br/>Home Minister P Chidambaram, who visited the flood-hit areas of the two southern states, said the state governments may utilise the Calamity Relief Fund immediately and once 75 per cent this fund is exhausted, the states may draw on the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF). He said in a statement that as soon as the state government is ready to receive the Central team, a team will be sent to the state to assess the damage according to well established norm. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, the United Nations offered all possible help to the Indian government in handling massive floods in its two southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. However it said the country is capable of managing such crisis on its own.<br/>Talking to reporters UN official for Emergency Relief John Holmes said it is India's sovereign right to decide whether they want or need to ask help or not. They have a huge capacity of their own.