Monsoon downpours caused flash floods that killed 13 people in India’s Himalayan foothills, officials said on Friday, with helicopters rescuing hundreds of stranded people.
Flooding and landslides are common and cause widespread devastation during India’s treacherous monsoon season, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity. Thirteen deaths have been reported across the northern state of Uttarakhand so far, disaster official Vinod Kumar Suman said. District officials said around 700 people were rescued by airlift while travelling to Kedarnath. “We are flying multiple choppers to bring down the people,” Suman said.
Monsoon rains across the region from June to September offer respite from the summer heat and are crucial to replenishing water supplies. They are also vital for agriculture, and therefore the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security for South Asia’s nearly 2bn people.