16 killed, thousands displaced in west India due to floods

SANAA, Aug. 8 (YPA) – At least 16 people have died in India’s western state of Maharashtra after heavy rains and overflowing rivers and flooded five areas, prompting authorities to move more than 140,000 people to safer places.

“The reservoirs in these areas are full,” Deepak Mhaiskar, divisional commissioner of Pune region said on Wednesday, adding that ” if more rain falls, we will have no choice but to release water into the rivers.”

Thousands of trucks stumbled on to a highway linking the Malian capital, Mumbai, to Bangalore, the information and technology center, because of the water that floods the road in some places, he said.

Schools and universities in the affected areas have been closed since Monday and are unlikely to open this week, a government official said.

The Meteorological Authority expects heavy rains in the area over the next three days, prompting authorities to send more rescue teams by air.
Floods in South Asia cause mass displacement and deaths annually as the region is hit by seasonal rains from June to September.

E.M