Concept:The correct word must express that the floods caused the loss of many lives.
Explanation:The phrase "claimed lives" is a standard idiom in English.
It means "to cause deaths" or "to take away lives."
Disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and accidents are often described as "claiming" lives.
"Many lives were claimed by the floods" is natural and grammatically correct.
Option B, "drowned," usually describes a person or animal dying by being under water.
We cannot say "drowned many lives" because "lives" cannot drown; people drown.
Option C, "buried," means covered by soil or rubble, which is not the intended meaning here.
Option D, "injured," only means harmed but not killed, so it does not fit "lives" being lost.
Thus, the most appropriate word is "claimed."
Answer:A. claimed