A massive clean-up operation began Monday, July 26 in India in favor of improving weather conditions, after days of torrential monsoon rains that caused floods and landslides and the death of more than 159 people.
Read also: India: the death toll rises to 127 dead, dozens of missing people wanted
About 250,000 people have had to flee their homes in three states on the west coast of India as a result of the precipitation which deprives entire regions of power.
Floods and landslides are common in India during the monsoon season (June-September) which is crucial for river flow and groundwater.
But experts believe that their intensity is enhanced by global warming.
The "worst floods since 1982"
"
Attention is now focused on evacuating the wounded and repairing power lines, now that the water level has dropped,
" a spokesperson for the Victims Assistance Force told AFP. natural disasters.
“
The rains have stopped in most places (...).
We help with cleaning operations
”.
Read also: Torrential rains and flooded roads in London
The most affected state is Maharashtra, whose capital is Bombay. A report sent on Sunday reported 149 dead. Officials announced that search operations for survivors had been suspended in the town of Taliye, south-east of Mumbai. In total, 53 lifeless bodies were recovered in this village theater Thursday of a huge landslide. 17 people are still missing. Several other landslides occurred in the neighboring district of Satara, where 29 people were killed.
In Chiplun, 24 hours of precipitation on Thursday raised the water level by nearly six meters in some neighborhoods. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday that what had happened in that district was "
unimaginable
". "
The water level has reached the ceiling of my store,
" a trader told Indian television station NDTV. “
There were floods in 1965 and 2005 but they were worse,
” commented another resident of this district. Goa State Head of Government Pramod Sawant spoke of the "
worst flooding since 1982
". Further south, in the state of Karnataka, nine people were also killed.
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