Over the weekend month-long rains fell in parts of India. This caused flooding and landslides in the north of the country. So far more than 20 people have died.

At least 22 people have died in northern India due to heavy monsoon rains, floods and landslides, according to authorities and local media.

Several states were affected, such as Himachal Pradesh in the Himalayan mountain region, where, according to a meteorologist, in many districts more rain fell in one day than in an entire month over the weekend. end. A bridge collapsed, several barracks were washed away.

Chief Minister: “Please stay in your homes”

Authorities have urged residents of the area not to go out unless absolutely necessary. “Please stay indoors as it will rain harder in the next 24 hours,” Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on social media.

Schools in the capital New Delhi were closed after heavy rains. In several areas of the city, the streets were flooded up to their knees. Rescuers tried to get people to safety aboard rubber dinghies. The capital has recorded the heaviest rainfall in decades.

More rain forecasts

Indian meteorological services forecast further rains across much of northern India for the next few days. According to official figures, the monsoon rains of the first week of July have already brought about 2 percent more precipitation than usual across the country.

Heavy rains, causing severe flooding and landslides, are common in South Asia during the monsoon season. The monsoon generally lasts from June to September. The damage is often considerable: the houses are carried away by the waters, there are always deaths.

At the same time, rain is vital for agriculture, on which a large part of the population lives. Data from the Indian Meteorological Service shows that heavy rains that fell in many parts of India during the first eight days of July made up for the country’s rainfall deficit.