Current:Home > ScamsHeavy rain and landslides have killed at least 72 people this week in an Indian Himalayan state-LoTradeCoin
Heavy rain and landslides have killed at least 72 people this week in an Indian Himalayan state
View Date:2024-12-23 20:13:53
NEW DELHI (AP) — Days of relentless rain in India’s Himalayan region have killed at least 72 people this week, a government official said Thursday, as a heavy monsoon triggered landslides and flash floods that have submerged roads, washed away buildings and left residents scrambling for safety.
Rescuers in the mountainous Himachal Pradesh state have been working through challenging weather conditions to save people trapped under mud and debris from the rains that struck over the weekend. India’s weather department has put the state on high alert and expects the downpours to continue over the next few days.
Vikram Singh, an operator at the state’s emergency operation center, said on Thursday that the 72 deaths occurred over the previous five days and that rescue work was ongoing.
Hundreds of roads remain blocked and schools in the capital city of Shimla have been ordered shut as the Indian Air Force and disaster response teams help evacuate people from low-lying, vulnerable areas. The state’s chief minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, said over 2,000 people have been rescued using helicopters and motor boats and are now safe in relief camps.
Visuals on social media showed trees falling apart as homes, built atop the hills, collapsed in succession. In the background, people can be heard crying out in horror, as they shouted “get out from here” and “get back.”
In Shimla, a Hindu temple collapsed on Monday amid deadly landslides, and authorities feared that people are still buried under the debris. Authorities said the temple was crowded with devotees, raising fears that the death toll could rise as rescue work carries on.
Homes in some districts were also washed away after a cloudburst — a sudden, very heavy rain — Sunday night, leaving roads flooded and people stranded.
Cloudbursts are defined as when more than 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) of rainfall occurs within 10 square kilometers (3.8 square miles) within an hour. They are a common occurrence in Himalayan regions, where they have the potential to cause intense flooding and landslides affecting thousands of people.
Sukhu, the chief minister, told the Press Trust of India news agency that it will take a year to rebuild infrastructure destroyed by the rains of this monsoon, and claimed the estimated loss to be about 100 billion rupees ($1.2 billion). “It’s a big challenge, a mountain-like challenge,” he said.
Last month, record monsoon showers killed more than 100 people over two weeks in parts of northern India, including in Himachal Pradesh, which was the worst hit.
Disasters caused by landslides and floods are common in India’s Himalayan north during the June-September monsoon season. Scientists say they are becoming more frequent as global warming increases.
However, local experts say the current disaster is likely due to unplanned construction in this vulnerable region. “It is poor planning and governance that has led to this much damage,” said Anand Sharma, a retired meteorologist with the Indian Meteorological Department, the country’s weather agency.
Sharma is from the Himalayan region and has closely observed weather patterns in this region for over three decades. He said the heavy and sometimes extreme rains is expected in the Himalayan foothills during the monsoon season.
“All the fallen buildings are those that were constructed recently, buildings built a 100 years ago have witnessed little to no damage,” he said, adding that growing tourism to the region is another factor.
“They build anywhere they like and when heavy rains occur, such disasters inevitably follow,” Sharma said.
—-
Arasu reported from Bengaluru, India. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
veryGood! (364)
Related
- South Carolina to take a break from executions for the holidays
- 3 family members charged with human smuggling, forced labor at Massachusetts restaurants
- Hobbled Hubble Telescope Springs Back To Life On Its Backup System
- Cancer survivor Linda Caicedo scores in Colombia's 2-0 win over South Korea at World Cup
- Quincy Jones' Cause of Death Revealed
- Survivors Laud Apple's New Tool To Spot Child Sex Abuse But The Backlash Is Growing
- Kourtney Kardashian Claps Back at Critic Who Says She Used to Be So Classy
- Donald Trump Sues Facebook, YouTube And Twitter For Alleged Censorship
- Mississippi governor intent on income tax cut even if states receive less federal money
- VH1's The X-Life Star Denise Russo Dead at 44
Ranking
- Kendall Jenner Is Back to Being a Brunette After Ditching Blonde Hair
- Amid escalating violence, 3 rockets launched at Israel from Syria, Israeli military says
- Bezos Vs. Branson: The Billionaire Space Race Lifts Off
- Shawn Mendes and Sabrina Carpenter Leave Miley Cyrus' Album Release Party Together
- Democrat George Whitesides wins election to US House, beating incumbent Mike Garcia
- Jimmy Wales: How Can Wikipedia Ensure A Safe And Shared Online Space?
- Jimmy Wales: How Can Wikipedia Ensure A Safe And Shared Online Space?
- Opinion: Hello? Hello? The Pain Of Pandemic Robocalls
Recommendation
-
John Krasinski Revealed as People's Sexiest Man Alive 2024
-
The Grisly True Story Behind Scream: How the Gainesville Ripper Haunted a Whole College Town
-
Your Facebook Account Was Hacked. Getting Help May Take Weeks — Or $299
-
See 2023 Oscar Nominees in Their Earliest Roles: Then and Now
-
Rita Ora pays tribute to Liam Payne at MTV Europe Music Awards: 'He brought so much joy'
-
'Startup Wife' Satirizes Tech Culture And Boardroom Sexism — From Experience
-
U.S. balks as Russian official under international arrest warrant claims Ukrainian kids kidnapped for their safety
-
Three-time Pro Bowl CB Marcus Peters reaches deal with Las Vegas Raiders, per reports