The death toll from floods in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra rose to 147, state authorities said on Sunday, as rescue teams raced to evacuate people and waters submerged parts of a world heritage site.

Heavy rain and landslides forced hundreds of thousands of people to take shelter in relief camps, while train services were cancelled in several flood-hit areas.

In the southern state of Kerala, at least 57 people were killed in rain-related incidents while over 165,000 people were in relief camps in the state, state authorities said on Sunday.

"Several houses are still covered under 10-12 feet deep mud. This is hampering rescue work," state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Authorities worried that rescue operations would be hit by thunderstorms and rainfall predicted in some parts of Kerala.

Last year, more than 200 people were killed in Kerala and over five million affected in one of worst floods in 100 years in the state. </s> Death toll rises to 93 in floods, mudslides in south India

NEW DELHI — At least 93 people have been killed and more than 400,000 displaced in floods and mudslides caused by days of torrential rains in southern India.

The worst-hit has been the state of Kerala where the death toll rose to 57 by late Saturday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has tweeted.

This is an increase from 42 deaths reported from Aug. 8. More than 165,000 people have left their homes for relief camps.

A news report says another 31 people have been killed in rain-related accidents in neighboring Karnataka while at least five are reported dead in Tamil Nadu state.

Kerala suffered catastrophic floods a year ago when heavy downpours killed 223 people and drove hundreds of thousands from their homes. </s> Death toll rises to 93 in floods, mudslides in south India

NEW DELHI (AP) — At least 93 people have been killed and more than 400,000 displaced in floods and mudslides following days of torrential rains in southern India.

The worst-hit has been the state of Kerala where the death toll rose to 57 by late Saturday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted.

That was an increase from 42 deaths reported since Aug. 8. More than 165,000 people left their homes for relief camps.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported another 31 people have been killed in rain-related accidents in neighboring Karnataka.

At least five others were reported dead in Tamil Nadu state.

Kerala suffered catastrophic floods a year ago when heavy downpours killed 223 people and drove hundreds of thousands from their homes.

South Asia has continued to face rain-related disasters during the monsoon season, with 160 people killed last month in northeastern India, Nepal and Bangladesh. </s> Kerala floods: Life comes to a standstill; PM Modi to visit state on Friday

Life has come to a standstill in Kerala with flood and landslides leading to unforeseen miseries and chaos. The series of landslides and similar accidents caused over 50 deaths in the last two days alone even though the official death toll for the last one week was pegged at 86. Unofficial reports said that there were at least 97 deaths in the last one week. Over 1.67 lakh people are rehabilitated in 1165 relief camps functioning in the state. </s> The death toll from floods in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra has risen to at least 147, according to authorities, as rescue teams raced to evacuate people and waters submerged parts of a world heritage site.

Heavy rain and landslides forced hundreds of thousands of people to take shelter in relief camps, while train services were cancelled in several flood-hit areas.

In the southern state of Kerala, at least 57 people were killed in rain-related incidents while more than 165,000 were in relief camps in the state, local authorities said on Sunday.

"Several houses are still covered under 10-12 feet deep mud. This is hampering rescue work," state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Authorities worried that rescue operations would be hit by thunderstorms and rainfall predicted in some parts of Kerala.

"People are facing a lot of problems. Water has come from all directions, water has entered all the houses," a rescued local, Ajeet Pattankudi, told Reuters News Agency.

Last year, more than 200 people were killed in Kerala and over five million were affected in one of the state's worst floods in 100 years.

Residents are being evacuated from their home to a safer place following floods warnings, on a wooden boat in Kochi [AFP]

In Karnataka, several structures at the world heritage site Hampi, an ancient town, were flooded.

So far, 60 people have died in rain-related incidents, said state chief minister BS Yediyurappa, adding nearly 227,000 people were staying in relief camps.

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In Maharashtra, where the death toll stood at 30, the flood situation was improving, according to state-run All India Radio, though authorities said it would be difficult to restore rail services in some flood-hit areas within the next two weeks.

While Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra have been the worst hit this year, several other states including Gujarat, Assam and Bihar have also seen heavy damage due to floods.

India's main opposition Congress party on Sunday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide relief packages.

Citing media reports, the party said so far this year 446 people have been killed in six flood-hit states including Assam, Bihar and Gujarat.

"Despite the mammoth loss of lives and displacement caused due to floods, the government is failing to realize the gravity of the flood fury," it said in a statement. </s> The death toll from floods in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra rose to 147, state authorities said on Sunday, as rescue teams raced to evacuate people and waters submerged parts of a world heritage site.

Heavy rain and landslides forced hundreds of thousands of people to take shelter in relief camps, while train services were cancelled in several flood-hit areas.

In the southern state of Kerala, at least 57 people were killed in rain-related incidents while over 165,000 people were in relief camps in the state, state authorities said on Sunday.

“Several houses are still covered under 10-12 feet deep mud. This is hampering rescue work,” state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Authorities worried that rescue operations would be hit by thunderstorms and rainfall predicted in some parts of Kerala.

Last year, more than 200 people were killed in Kerala and over five million affected in one of worst floods in 100 years in the state.

In Karnataka, several structures at world heritage site Hampi, an ancient town, were flooded.

So far 60 people have died in rain-related incidents, said state chief minister B S Yediyurappa, adding nearly 227,000 people were staying in relief camps.

While Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra have been the worst hit this year, several other states including Gujarat, Assam and Bihar have also seen heavy damage due to floods.

In Maharashtra, where the death toll stood at 30, the flood situation was improving, according to state-run All India Radio, though authorities said it would be difficult to restore rail services in some flood-hit areas within the next two weeks.

Citing media reports, the Congress party said so far this year 446 people have been killed in six flood-hit states including Assam, Bihar and Gujarat.

“Despite the mammoth loss of lives and displacement caused due to floods, the government is failing to realize the gravity of the flood fury,” the Congress party said in a statement on Sunday. </s> KOCHI/BENGALURU (Reuters) - The death toll from floods in India's states of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra rose to 95, official figures showed on Saturday, as heavy rain and landslides forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes.

Seasonal monsoon rains from June to September are a crucial lifeline for agrarian Indian society, delivering 70% of the country's rainfall, but they also bring in their wake death and destruction every year.

Some 42 people died in southwestern Kerala and over 100,000 affected people have been evacuated, the central government's disaster management cell said, after 80 landslides hit the state in two days.

The state planned to open the gates of Banasurasagar dam in Wayanad district at 0930 GMT, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said during a news conference in the city of Kochi. Shutters of the dam were partially opened on Saturday morning to manage the water level and avoid serious damage, a senior state official of the district confirmed to Reuters.

A red alert, or severe rainfall and bad weather conditions forecast, has been issued for seven out of 14 districts in the state, the Kerala State Disaster Management control room told Reuters on Saturday.

Last year, Kerala was hit by one of its worst floods in one hundred years. More than 200 people were killed and over 5 million affected.

The state's busiest airport, Cochin International Airport, has been closed since Friday as the taxiway is water-logged. The airport is expected to reopen from Sunday as water levels had started to recede, the state body said.

In neighbouring Karnataka, home to India's tech hub Bengaluru, some 24 people have died in what chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said on Saturday were the worst floods in 45 years.

Around 1,024 villages have been inundated due to the rains, several dams were reaching their full capacity, and over 200,000 people had been evacuated, he added.

As many as 16 of the state's 30 districts have been affected by the heavy rains and 235,105 people have been evacuated and shifted to 624 relief camps, Yeddyurappa added.

In Maharashtra, home to India's financial capital Mumbai, 29 people have died this week.

The Indian Meteorological Department said on its website that heavy to very heavy rain was likely to lash isolated areas of Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, and some southern states might also see extremely heavy rain on Saturday. </s> Flood victims are evacuated to safer areas in Kozhikode, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Torrential monsoon rains have disrupted air and train services in the southern Indian state of Kerala, where flooding, landslides and bridge collapses have killed dozens of people in the past week, officials said.

NEW DELHI – Rescue workers use helicopters and boats to evacuate hundreds of people stranded on their home rooftops following unprecedented flooding in the southern Indian state of Kerala where more than 160 people have died.

With torrential rains stopping on Friday, thousands of rescuers worked quickly to shift the marooned people to 1,200 state-run camps where more than 150,000 people already have taken shelter.

Heavy rains over the past eight days triggered flooding, landslides and home and road bridge collapses, severely disrupting air and train services in Kerala state, a popular tourist destination with beautiful beaches.

State officials have put the death toll at 164 since Aug.8.

Monsoon rains kill hundreds of people every year in India. The season runs from June to September. </s> KOCHI/BENGALURU — The death toll from floods in India’s states of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra rose to 95, official figures showed on Saturday, as heavy rain and landslides forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes.

Seasonal monsoon rains from June to September are a crucial lifeline for agrarian Indian society, delivering 70% of the country’s rainfall, but they also bring in their wake death and destruction every year.

“Our entire village under water for the last eight days but still we haven’t got any assistance from the government,” said farmer Prashant Lathe, 35, from a village in one of the flood-hit districts of the western state of Maharashtra.

The district has lost access to all basic amenities such as drinking water, power supply, cooking gas cylinder and petrol for running vehicles, Lathe said.

Excessively strong rains can also harm India’s farming sector, which employs nearly half of its 1.3 billion people. Lathe said his sugar cane plantation of around four acres was submerged.

In the southwestern state of Kerala, some 42 people died and over 100,000 affected people have been evacuated, the central government’s disaster management cell said, after 80 landslides hit the state in two days.

The state was opening the gates of Banasurasagar dam in Wayanad district on Saturday to manage water levels and avoid serious damage.

Last year, more than 200 people were killed and over five million affected in one of Kerala’s worst floods in 100 years. Some residents said the sudden opening of dam gates without proper warnings to those living downstream was a big factor in the devastation.

The state’s busiest airport, Cochin International Airport, closed since Friday as the taxiway was water-logged, will resume operations from 0630 GMT on Sunday, the airport management said.

In neighboring Karnataka, home to India’s tech hub Bengaluru, some 24 people have died in what chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said on Saturday were the worst floods in 45 years.

Around 1,024 villages have been inundated due to the rains, several dams were reaching their full capacity, and over 200,000 people had been evacuated, he added.

In Maharashtra, home to India’s financial capital Mumbai, 29 people have died this week.

The Indian Meteorological Department said heavy to very heavy rain was likely to lash isolated areas of Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, and some southern states might also see extremely heavy rain on Saturday. (Reporting by Jose Devasia in Kochi and Gopakumar Warrier in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai Writing by Promit Mukherjee Editing by Kim Coghill and Stephen Powell)
The death toll from heavy floods that triggered landislides in Kerala, India, which started on 8 July, rises to 37.