Flash floods in India: 31 dead, 40 missing

At least 31 people have died and 40 are missing after heavy rains triggered flash floods in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand state (northern India), according to NDTV news agency. Nearly 2,000 others have been affected.

According to NDTV, this is the most serious flood in Uttarkashi in over 30 years - Photo: IBN

Flash floods and landslides occurred at midnight on August 3, destroying hundreds of houses in the area. Floods also washed away several bridges and a long stretch of the Gangotri National Highway, NDTV reported.

“We have sent rescue teams to the affected areas,” official R. Rajesh Kumar told AFP, adding that hundreds of pilgrims were stranded by the floods.

Border guards and disaster response teams are currently involved in the rescue operation. About 200 households have been evacuated to higher ground. The weather agency has warned that more rain is expected today, August 5.

“Nearly 2,000 people have been affected by the floods. Around 200 families have lost their homes and have been provided temporary shelter in buildings and schools,” said Vijay Bahuguna, the chief minister of Uttarakhand state.

According to NDTV, this is the most serious flood in Uttarkashi in more than 30 years.

Last month, heavy rains triggered floods and landslides that killed more than 120 people in northeastern India and forced 6 million others to flee their homes.

People struggle to walk on flooded streets in Lahore, Pakistan on August 4 - Photo: news.cn

In Pakistan, heavy rain on August 4 also submerged many areas in Lahore city, in many places water rose above the waist, disrupting people's lives.

According to Tuoi Tre - DT