Thousands of people were flooded out of their homes in India’s northeastern state of Nagaland following heavy monsoon rains. / AFP PHOTO /
DEHRADUN, India (AFP) — Flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rain in a mountainous part of north India killed at least eight people on Friday and 30 more are missing, a disaster control official said.
Piyush Rautela said the toll from the disaster in the scenic Himalayan state of Uttarakhand could rise, with many believed buried in the mud and debris that barreled down slopes into homes.
“So far eight bodies have been recovered and 30 are believed to be missing,” Rautela told AFP.
The Press Trust of India news agency said 100 millimeters (about four inches) of rain fell in two hours, causing swollen rivers to burst their banks and forcing residents to flee their homes.
Television images showed muddy, swirling floodwaters gushing through the area, slowly submerging buildings while giant boulders and rocks blocked part of a national highway.
Hundreds die every year in floods and landslides during the monsoon season in South Asia.
In June 2013, nearly 6,000 pilgrims, tourists and others were killed by floods and landslides caused by early monsoon rains that hit the Himalayan state, destroying scores of villages and towns.
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