Rains wreak havoc across India, 42 dead

Heavy rains, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc across much of India on Tuesday. Nearly 34 people were dead and 20,000 were said to be affected in Uttarakhand, a total of eight people had lost their lives in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, while train services between Mangalore and Bangalore in Karnataka were hit.

Uttarakhand

It has been four days since heavy rains battered Uttarakhand, triggering landslides and flash floods. The death toll has reached 34. Seventy villages remain cut off from the Uttarkashi district headquarters.

An estimated 20,000 people have been affected. Around 3,000 pilgrims on the Chardham yatra are still stranded. It hasn't rained for two days in a row. This is expected to boost relief operations as well as open up the route.

Food packets are being airdropped. But relief hasn't reached a number of villages because of the difficult terrain.

Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has demanded a Rs 600-crore relief package for the affected region.

Kerala

A landslide following heavy rains in the Kozhikode (Calicut) district of Kerala killed four people on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the town of Iritty in Kannur district was almost submerged under water as the shutters of the Pazhassi dam in the area could not be opened.

About 30 houses were reportedly washed away in flash floods in the region.

Several people were relocated to safer places.

The Home Minister visited the area and promised action to salvage the situation. Meanwhile, the Centre sent a batch of National Disaster Management Force to Kannur as per the request of the state government.

A team of Navy personnel also left Kochi for Iritty and the Kozhikode district authorities opened control rooms at the collectorate.

While relief work is underway, heavy rains are proving to be a major hurdle.

Madhya Pradesh

Four people lost their lives when a wall collapsed on them on Monday night in Kolar. The wall collapsed because of heavy rains. The district administration has already announced closure of schools in the region.

A high alert has been sounded in Hoshangabad, Sehore and Raisen districts.

Meanwhile, several state highways have been closed.

Karnataka

Days after the Meteorology Department declared the worst drought in four decades in Karnataka, the state saw heavy rainfall. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were recorded in the Ghat and the coastal areas with Uttar Kannada district receiving the maximum rains.

Nilkund and Kollur received 23 cms of rains.

Heavy showers are forecast for the next 24 hours in the south also. Showers in Coorg, Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Hassan have filled up most reservoirs, bringing a lot of relief to the state that was faced with a drinking water crisis.

Train services between Mangalore and Bangalore are suspended for now following a landslide on the track.

However, the Ghat sections are also seeing many landslides - parts of the National Highway 13 are closed. A few state highways connecting Mangalore are also blocked. Crop losses have been reported across hundreds of acres but no estimate has been possible until now.