Death toll from rain-related incidents in India rises to 37

Incessant monsoon rains caused flash floods and triggered landslides in the northern parts of India

(Web Desk) – Death toll in rain related incident in India rose to 37 on Tuesday.

According to Indian media, incessant monsoon rains caused flash floods and triggered landslides in the northern part of the country.

Himachal Pradesh remains the worst-hit, where flash floods and landslides claimed the lives of 18 people over the past two days, while nine people died in Punjab and Haryana, seven in Rajasthan and three in Uttar Pradesh in different rain-related incidents, India Today reported.

Television footage showed flash floods and landslides as gushing water washed away vehicles, demolished buildings and bridges in the hilly Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed "deep sorrow" at the deaths and said the government was "making all-out efforts" to tackle the situation, with more rain forecast.

Authorities were waiting for a break in the rains to send helicopters to rescue about 300 stranded people — including tourists — in Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu.

India's meteorological department has forecast more rain across large parts of the country's north in the coming days.

Schools in capital New Delhi remained shut on Monday after a single day rain record in July in four decades.

The capital was on high alert as the Yamuna river was flowing close to danger levels, with many roads swamped.

Streets and neighborhoods in Punjab state were also filled with knee-deep rainwater.

Official data shows monsoon rains across the country in the first week of July have already produced about two percent more rainfall than normal.

The summer monsoon brings South Asia around 80 percent of its annual rainfall, as well as death and destruction due to flooding and landslides.

The rainfall is hard to forecast and varies considerably, but scientists say climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic.