68 people killed by severe weather in India and Nepal — Dawn

At least 68 people have died as a result of heavy rains, floods and landslides in northern India and Nepal over three days. As Dawn reports, the highest number of fatalities was recorded in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where 56 people died.

Consequences of heavy rains in Uttar Pradesh

The state relief commissioner’s office said that more than 1,000 homes were damaged in Uttar Pradesh. The state, which has a population of more than 240 million people, regularly suffers from heavy rains and thunderstorms during the monsoon season, which lasts from June to September.

According to authorities, the latest deaths occurred during a period of exceptionally heavy rainfall. A barometric depression over the Bay of Bengal moved inland and intensified rain in the region. From Friday to Sunday, Uttar Pradesh received 66.5 mm of rainfall, compared with a seasonal average of 7.6 mm.

The downpours also caused significant damage to crops. Farmers expressed concern about possible delays in sowing next season.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Casualties and evacuation

In Nepal, 12 people have died in floods and landslides since Thursday, while another seven are considered missing. Shanti Mahat, a representative of Nepal’s disaster management authority, told AFP.

Nepal had already been affected by major flooding in August caused by the collapse of a glacial mass on the China-Nepal border. According to the source, more than 1,400 people died then, while thousands went missing.

More than 70,000 residents of low-lying areas were evacuated in the eastern Indian state of Odisha due to rising river levels, NDTV reported. The rains damaged bridges and culverts, prompting authorities to close the Devkund tourist site to visitors.