New Delhi, India
CNN
 — 

Heavy rains and landslides have killed greater than 60 individuals within the northern Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as devastating flooding hits the area in the course of the monsoon season.

Most of the deaths occurred in Himachal Pradesh the place at the very least 55 individuals have died since Saturday, the state’s chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu advised Indian information company ANI throughout a go to to affected areas on Tuesday.

Rescue operations and restoration work stays underway, he stated, including that the dying toll could rise additional.

In one of many deadliest incidents, at the very least 9 individuals died on Monday when flooding brought on a temple within the state capital Shimla, a preferred vacationer space, to break down. The incident occurred at round 8 a.m. native time, Sukhu advised Indian information company ANI throughout a go to to the temple web site on Monday.

The our bodies of those that died have been retrieved and the “local administration is diligently working to clear the debris,” Sukhu posted on X (beforehand referred to as Twitter) on Monday.

Five individuals have been rescued however round 20 to 25 individuals remained trapped as of Monday.

Sukhu posted on X on Monday, saying “we have directed the authorities to ensure all possible assistance and support to the affected families during this trying period.”

“I appeal to people to stay indoors, to not venture near rivers and landslide-prone areas,” he stated.

Traffic police officers have additionally urged the general public to keep away from touring as a result of ongoing heavy rain, with the Indian Meteorological Department issuing a crimson alert for the state.

Videos and pictures shared on social media present destroyed roads and fallen bushes, whereas and water gushing down mountains sends enormous rocks flying.

India’s residence affairs minister Amit Shah posted on social media that the lack of life was “extremely distressing.” National Disaster Response Force groups are “engaged in relief and rescue operations along with the local administration. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” he added.

Heavy rains have additionally affected neighboring Uttarakhand state, killing 5 individuals, the state’s Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Sinha advised CNN on Tuesday.

Ten NDRF groups have been deployed throughout the state to help with rescue operations, the NDRF Commander Sudesh Drall in Uttarakhand advised CNN on Tuesday.

Himachal Pradesh, in northern India, has been one of many worst-hit states within the monsoon season. In July, more than 30 people within the state had been killed after flash floods and landslides.

An announcement from Sukhu’s workplace Monday stated this monsoon season had seen the very best variety of “cloudburst incidents,” or very sudden and damaging rainstorms, within the state for the previous 50 years.

Some scientists say the human-caused local weather disaster is making India’s monsoon season more chaotic and erratic.