Monsoon rains in northern India have left 40 dead and more than a dozen missing in the past three days, Indian authorities announced Sunday.
The most affected areas are the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where flash floods, floods and landslides have occurred.
Heavy rains flooded hundreds of villages and roads, and destroyed bridges in parts of those two states crossed by the Himalayas.
According to an official report cited by the US agency AP, 36 people died in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Hundreds of residents took refuge in reception camps after their homes were flooded.
In the neighboring state of Uttarakhand, heavy rains caused rivers to overflow and wash away some houses, with four dead and 13 missing.
The Indian Meteorological Department forecast that heavy to very heavy rains will continue to fall in the region for the next two days.
Relief teams were evacuating people trapped by flooding in both states, officials said.
Disasters caused by landslides and floods are common in the northern Himalayas during the monsoon season, from June to September.
Scientists say these phenomena are becoming more frequent as global warming affects glaciers.
Last year, flash floods killed almost 200 people in the region.
Source: Observadora
