The ongoing monsoon season has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 50 people while injuring many others in several Indian states, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and others.
India's northern state of Himachal Pradesh, which has been the worst affected due to cloudbursts and continuous downpours, has reported at least 36 deaths and several people missing since last Friday.
The state has been hit by rain, while landslides were reported in the Mandi, Kangra, and Chamba districts on Saturday.
On Monday, Himachal Pradesh's State Disaster Management Department said that a rescue operation is ongoing, and the authorities are trying to fix roads and railway tracks damaged due to the landslides.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director Surinder Pal on Sunday said that Himachal Pradesh experienced record-breaking single-day rainfall on August 20 that was almost a “300% departure on the higher side than normal” for this period.
Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted heavy rainfall in the state until August 26.
In the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, four persons reportedly died and 13 went missing after incidents of cloudbursts were reported in several parts of the state.
As many as six children drowned in Jharkhand's Palamu and Hazaribag districts on Sunday amid heavy rains. So far, about 2,500 people have been evacuated to safer places from low-lying areas.
In Odisha, a warning of a massive flood has been issued for the Subarnarekha River Basin in the Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts. The Hindu newspaper reported that 10 people, including five children, have died due to rain-related incidents in the state.
Floods have impacted the lives of nearly 800,000 people, while 120,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the IMD issued orange to red alerts for the coastal state of Odisha, as well as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
Floods also hit parts of Madhya Pradesh's capital city of Bhopal due to incessant rains. The administration shut down schools for two days.
Riverside areas adjoining the river Ganges in Uttar Pradesh are on high alert as water body is flowing above the alert mark.