Submerged cars are seen at a flooded hotel resort as extreme rainfall caused the Kosi River to overflow at the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, India, on Oct 19, 2021. (MUSTAFA QURAISHI / AP)
NEW DELHI – Authorities in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand Wednesday said that heavy rains triggering floods have killed 46 people, besides causing large scale destruction.
Eleven people are reported missing in the floods.
"The rains have caused large-scale destruction and it would take several days to bring the situation back to normal. The roads have been washed off and rivers have changed their course, which has affected villages. The bridges have been damaged and farmers have suffered heavy losses. Water has entered industrial spaces also thereby inflicting losses on industrialists as well," Pushkar Singh Dhami, chief minister of Uttarakhand, told media. "So far we have reports that 46 people were killed, 11 are missing and several others injured."
The roads have been washed off and rivers have changed their course, which has affected villages. The bridges have been damaged and farmers have suffered heavy losses. Water has entered industrial spaces also thereby inflicting losses on industrialists as well.
Pushkar Singh Dhami, chief minister of Uttarakhand
Dhami on Wednesday visited Kumaon, one of the worst-hit regions in the state, to take stock of the situation.
A government spokesman said that the chief minister took stock of the damage by conducting an aerial survey of the areas affected by floods, and instructed the administration to extend all possible help to the public.
It is feared that the death toll is likely to increase.
Uttarakhand received record-breaking rainfall this week, leading to floods, landslides and destruction of property. Officials said over 500 mm of rainfall recorded in 24 hours has led to overflowing of water bodies and flooding in the Mall Road.
Photographs and videos from the state show flooded roads, submerged homes and fallen bridges.
Local government officials said Ranikhet and Almora remain cut off from the plains for a second consecutive day after landslides blocked roads.
In Ranikhet, authorities are rationing fuel for emergency services only.
The floods have hampered electricity, telephone and Internet at multiple locations in the affected areas.
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The personnel from the disaster response force and emergency services have been pressed into service to carry out rescue and relief operations.
Reports said over 300 people have been rescued from flood-affected areas in the state so far.
This photograph provided by India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) shows NDRF soldiers rescue people stranded in floodwaters in Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand state, India, on Oct 19, 2021. (NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE VIA AP)
Visuals shared by officials on Wednesday showed that men, women and children being evacuated by the National Disaster Response Force. The tourists were seen walking with their belongings on a hillside.
According to disaster response force personnel, entire sections of paved roads lay covered in mud and rubble.
The local government announced a compensation of INR 400,000 ($5,332) for the families of those who were killed in floods.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on social media over deaths in Uttarakhand.
"I am anguished by the loss of lives due to heavy rainfall in parts of Uttarakhand. May the injured recover soon," he wrote.
Uttarakhand is prone to flooding and short spells of excessive rainfall have become rampant in the state. More than 200 were feared killed in February after flash floods swept away a hydroelectric dam in the state.
READ MORE: 23 dead in India's West Bengal floods
Last weekend heavy rains in the southern state of Kerala triggered waterlogging and landslides, killing 27 people.