13 people were killed in India’s floods; stranded pilgrims were airlifted
Monsoon rains unleashed flash floods in India’s Himalayan foothills, killing 13 people, officials said Friday, with helicopters rescuing hundreds stranded near a well-known Hindu shrine.
Flooding and landslides are typical and cause widespread devastation during India’s dangerous monsoon season, but experts believe climate change is increasing their frequency and severity.
According to disaster official Vinod Kumar Suman, thirteen deaths have been reported in the northern state of Uttarakhand so far.
According to district officials, over 700 people were rescued by airlift while traveling to the Kedarnath temple, a renowned pilgrimage site dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva.
“We are flying multiple choppers to bring down the pilgrims who were on their way,” Suman informed the crowd.
The temple stands over 3,600 meters (11,800 feet) above sea level, and access is only possible during the summer after a strenuous 22-kilometer (14-mile) uphill climb.
Every year, hundreds of pilgrims visit during the peak of the annual monsoon season.
Monsoon rains in the region from June to September provide relief from the summer heat and are critical for replenishing water resources.
They are also critical for agriculture, which supports the livelihoods of millions of farmers and ensures food security for South Asia’s almost two billion inhabitants.
More than 200 people were killed in the southern state of Kerala this week when landslides struck communities and tea plantations, prompting search and rescue efforts.
Two more people were killed this week in neighboring Himachal Pradesh, where rescuers are still looking for more than a dozen others who have been reported missing.
AFP
