Monsoon floods in India leave at least 150 dead, thousands displaced

More than 150 people have died in India as heavy rain and landslides have forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate.

Indian men push a small van through a flooded road after heavy rainfall in Ahmadabad, India.

Indian men push a small van through a flooded road after heavy rainfall in Ahmadabad, India. Source: AP

The death toll from a fresh spell of monsoon-driven floods in India has climbed to 154 and affected more than a million residents, officials say.

At least 60 people have died and 229,000 have been moved to relief camps in the southern state of Kerala since Thursday, officials at the disaster management control room said.

"The flood situation remains grim and agencies are on high alert in six districts. Many deaths have been reported in rain-triggered landslides in Wayanad and Malappuram districts," an official said.

India's monsoon rain runs from June through September, typically bringing chaos.
India's monsoon rain runs from June through September, typically bringing chaos. Source: AP


Thirty-four more people had died and 481,000 people were either displaced or evacuated to safety in the neighbouring Karnataka state in the same period.

At least 30 more have been killed and 400,000 people have been affected in the western state of Maharashtra since Monday, according to officials.




An equal number had died in torrential rains in the neighbouring state of Gujarat on Saturday alone, the Hindu newspaper reported.

While Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat were worst-hit, more states have reported flooding, including Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Andhra Pradesh.

Rescue teams from the disaster response force, army, navy and air force were deployed in these states for rescue and relief operations.

The death toll from the fresh spell of monsoon-driven floods has climbed to 154.
The death toll from the fresh spell of monsoon-driven floods has climbed to 154. Source: EPA


India's monsoon season between June and September sees heavy rains which are vital for agriculture but cause immense destruction and loss of life.

Dozens died in floods in India particularly in the eastern states of Bihar and Assam last month, with the inundation causing heavy losses to farms, homes and infrastructure.


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