(HorizonPost.com) – Officials said last Thursday that record monsoon rains in northern India have killed over 100 people in the last two weeks and have caused road cave-ins, waterlogging, gridlocked traffic, and collapsed homes, the Associated Press reported.
The worst rains hit the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, where at least 88 were killed and over 100 injured. Significant flooding washed away vehicles, bridges, and houses, according to the state government.
The state emergency operation center said nearly 170 houses collapsed while another 600 were partly damaged due to the heavy rains and mudslides.
Nearly 300 people, including tourists, were evacuated by helicopters after being stranded in Chandertal in the Himachal Pradesh state.
Another 12 were killed in monsoon-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh state since last Wednesday, according to state government spokesman Shishir Singh. Of those, nine drowned, two were struck by lightning, and one died from a snake bite.
The heavy rains also killed one in New Delhi and four in the Indian-controlled sector of Kashmir.
Residential areas near the Jamuna River in New Delhi were flooded, with roads, vehicles, and homes submerged. Thousands in low-lying areas were evacuated.
According to the office of Arvind Kejriwal, New Delhi’s top elected official, last Wednesday evening, the Jamuna River’s water level in New Delhi exceeded a 40-year record high, reaching 681.5 feet.
Almost 30,000 people have been moved to relief camps while some schools in badly hit areas have been converted to relief camps.
Meanwhile, hundreds have taken shelter beneath bridges in the eastern part of New Delhi, bringing with them their livestock.
According to Arvind Kejriwal, while New Delhi did not see a lot of rain last week, the Jamuna River level rose due to the “abnormally high levels of water” coming from the neighboring state of Haryana.
India routinely experiences severe flooding during the monsoon season between June and September. Monsoon season accounts for most of the annual rainfall in South Asia.
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