Landslides and flooding caused by intense monsoon rains have claimed at least 66 lives in northern India, stranding tourists in areas cut off from the world, authorities said Wednesday (July 12th). Torrential rains washed away vehicles, demolished buildings and destroyed bridges in the worst-hit state of Himachal Pradesh, according to Indian television footage.
At least 33 people have died since Saturday in the state, popular for its scenic resorts in the Himalayas, said state relief official Onkar Sharma. Rescue teams have been mobilized to help 40 foreigners stranded in tourist sites, as well as hundreds of Indians, state police chief Satwant Atwal told Agence France-Presse. . “Heavy snowfall and bad weather made evacuation very difficult,” the state’s chief minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, tweeted. “We are exploring all options,” he added.
“Avoid all movement”
At least 12 other people died in the neighboring state of Uttarakhand, including nine from debris that fell on their vehicles on a highway, authorities said. “Due to the incessant rains, I appeal to people, including pilgrims, to avoid any travel unless it is absolutely necessary,” Uttarakhand State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said. on Twitter.
In the state of Punjab, at least ten people died in floods. “There are huge human and material losses,” said Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa, the state’s revenue officer.
Eleven people died in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous in India, according to the authorities. The monsoon is also intense in New Delhi where schools in the capital were closed on Monday after record rains. The capital, with many flooded streets, is on high alert. The waters of the Yamuna River threaten to be in flood. According to scientists, climate change is making monsoon rains heavier and more erratic.