Torrential rains that began over the weekend in the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh have flooded roads and washed away homes, and dozens of rescuers are working to help people trapped under piles of rubble.
One of the hardest-hit districts was Mandi, Pradesh, where rescue teams recovered 19 bodies, authorities told the Press Trust of India news agency.
In the capital Shimla, 14 people died as a result of two landslides, and a downpour – a sudden and very heavy rain – in the Solan district of the state, on Sunday night killed nine people in the area, they added.
The death toll rose throughout the day as heavy rains hit various parts of the state, triggering flash flooding and more mudslides, according to authorities.
State Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said rescuers in Shimla were working to clear the wreckage and help those still trapped.
It is called a downpour when it throws more than 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) of water over a space of 10 square kilometers (3.8 square miles) in one hour. They are common in the Himalayan regions, where they can cause intense flooding and landslides affecting thousands of people.
The water washed away houses and flooded roads in Solan, police told PTI. In Shimla, landslides toppled a Hindu temple and authorities have warned the death toll could rise as efforts are made to free those still trapped.
All schools and universities in the state were closed and more than 700 roads were cut off by flooding.
India’s meteorological department reported moderate to heavy rains hitting various parts of the state on Monday, noting that the downpours could continue all week. It had issued a red alert over the weekend for heavy downpours in the neighboring state of Uttarakhand, where 60 people have died this season from monsoon rains, PTI reported.
Record monsoon rains last month killed more than 100 people in two weeks in parts of northern India, including Himachal Pradesh, which was hardest hit.
Avalanche and flood disasters are common in the Himalayan region of northern India in the monsoon season between June and September. Scientists say they are becoming more frequent as global warming contributes to the melting of glaciers in the region.
In February 2021, flash floods washed away houses and killed nearly 200 people in Uttarakhand.
FOUNTAIN: Associated Press
