Massive flooding and landslides have killed around 60 people in India, including 9 in a temple collapse.
Several days of torrential rain destroyed bridges and buildings, washed away vehicles in the northern states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
In Himachal Pradesh state, at least 50 people have died in the past 24 hours, state Prime Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, 9 of them in a Hindu temple collapse in Shimla, the capital of this state.
“The local administration is working to clear the debris in order to rescue those who may still be trapped,” the prime minister said in a statement.
India’s President Drupadi Murmu said she was “hurt by the loss of life in the heavy rain related accidents”. Drupadi Murmu also offered his condolences to families in the worst affected state of Himachal Pradesh.
In the most affected areas, major roads and power lines were badly damaged, blocking thousands of people. The railway network also suffered heavy damage.
In the neighboring state of Uttarakhand, rescue teams tried to free people buried following landslides caused by heavy rains.
Near the banks of the Ganges, in the tourist town of Rishikesh, located in Uttarakhand, five people notably found themselves trapped under debris following a landslide.
Among them, only a young girl was saved, said the district police commissioner, adding that the rest of her family was still trapped under the rubble. In total, at least eight people have been killed since Friday in this state, according to the authorities.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on people in Himachal Pradesh state to stay at home and avoid going near rivers. Schools in that state have been closed, he added.
During the monsoon, floods and landslides are frequent and cause considerable damage, but their number is increasing with climate change, according to experts.
In July, several days of monsoon rain killed at least 90 people in India, while the Yamuna River, which runs through India’s capital, New Delhi, recorded its highest levels since 1978.
Monsoon rains account for about 80% of annual precipitation in South Asia. They are vital for river levels, replenishing groundwater and agriculture. But they also cause death and destruction caused by floods and landslides.
