Death toll from torrential rains in north India rises to more than 40

July 11 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The death toll from the floods recorded in recent days in northern India due to heavy rains has risen to 42, authorities have confirmed.

According to the disaster management office of the rain-affected states, 20 people have died in Himachal; 15 in Jammu and Kashmir, five in Delhi and one each in Rajasthan and Haryana, the Hindutan Times reports.

The storm has caused landslides and floods that have demolished houses and swept away vehicles, submerging cities and tracts of crops.

The most affected areas are in the state of Himachal Pradesh, although areas of Uttarajand and the capital, New Delhi, have also been affected, which has had to order the closure of schools due to the rains. Torrential rains have caused widespread damage to the region’s infrastructure, including roads and power and water supplies.

Himachal Pradesh’s head of government, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has calculated the death toll count since last Friday at 17, adding that the estimated losses have reached 4,000 crores (44 million euros).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast light to moderate rain in most places and “heavy to very heavy” rain in isolated places in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh until Monday. The weather office has indicated that the rains are likely to ease in the north and move to the east of the country, but has issued ‘red’ and ‘orange’ alerts in Himachal Pradesh for the next 24 hours.