New Delhi: The death toll from a fresh spell of monsoon-driven floods in India has climbed to 154 and affected more than 1 million residents, officials said on Sunday.

 At least 60 people have died and 229,000 have been moved to relief camps in the southern state of Kerala since Thursday, officials at the disaster management control room said.

 “The flood situation remains grim and agencies are on high alert in six districts. Many deaths have been reported in rain-triggered landslides in Wayanad and Malappuram districts,” an official said.

 Thirty-four more people had died and 481,000 people were either displaced or evacuated to safety in the neighbouring Karnataka statein the same period.

 At least 30 more have been killed and 400,000 people have been affected in the western state of Maharashtra since Monday, according to officials.

 An equal number had died in torrential rains in the neighboring state of Gujarat on Saturday alone, the Hindu newspaper reported.

 While Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat were worst-hit, more states have reported flooding, including Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,Goa and Andhra Pradesh.

 Rescue teams from the disaster response force, army, navy and airforce were deployed in these states for rescue and relief operations.

 India’s monsoon season between June and September sees heavy rains which are vital for agriculture but cause immense destruction and loss of life.

 Dozens died in floods in India particularly in the eastern states of Bihar and Assam last month, with the inundation causing heavy losses to farms, homes and infrastructure. DPA </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> At least 774 have been killed during India's monsoon season due to heavy rain and floods, according to state officials.

Some 245 people have been injured and seven states have been affected, including Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland, and Gujarat, said a National Emergency Response Centre (NERC) statement late Sunday.

The center said some 22 people remain missing in Kerala, while five others are missing in West Bengal. </s> At least 95 people have been killed by monsoon flooding in southern and western India, while hundreds of thousands have been evacuated from their homes, according to reports.

More than 40 of those killed were in the south-western state of Kerala.

The flooding and landslides caused by the heavy seasonal rainfall have left some areas cut off.

Officials have called on those affected to try to seek shelter on higher ground.

India is affected by monsoon rains between June and September. While crucial to replenishing water supplies, the heavy rainfall also results in death and destruction each year.
• Is India's weather becoming more extreme?

Disaster management officials said more than 100,000 people in Kerala had been evacuated into emergency relief camps, while more than 40 had been killed.

"There are around 80 places where flood and rains have triggered mudslides, which we cannot reach," state police spokesman Pramod Kumar told AFP news agency.

With the rains predicted to continue there in the coming days, the military is attempting to airlift food to stranded villages.

Last year, more than 200 people were killed in Kerala in what was described as the state's worst flooding in 100 years.

The south-western state of Karnataka and western state of Maharashtra - which is home to India's financial capital Mumbai - are also experiencing heavy rains, with dozens of fatalities reported and hundreds of thousands of people evacuated.

India's National Disaster Management Authority issued warnings on Saturday for "heavy" to "extremely heavy" rainfall in several parts of the country, as well as strong winds. </s> Severe monsoon flooding has killed 213 people in western India, an official said on Sunday, as rescuers continue to sift through villages devastated by torrential rains.

The death toll in Gujarat state jumped from Wednesday’s total of 123 to 213, the government said, as waters receded from low-lying areas, allowing rescue workers to reach remote spots.

Overwhelmed authorities, which expect the toll to rise further, said they had struggled to cope with the number of bodies needing identification and postmortems, resulting in delays in confirming the latest deaths.

An official at the state’s emergency control room explained that “only after a postmortem is conducted we can officially confirm death of a person”.

“Since many bodies were found, postmortems took time, hence the sudden jump in numbers,” the official, who requested anonymity, said.

The rise comes after rescuers plucked 25 bodies, including 17 members of one family, on Wednesday from two submerged villages in the hard-hit Banaskantha district of Gujarat.

Rescue workers have moved close to 130,000 people from low-lying, dangerous areas as helicopters and boats continue to try to reach those still stranded.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who flew over the devastation in Gujarat last week, used his radio show on Sunday to reassure flood-hit states that all help was being provided to them.

As well as Gujarat, the north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have been hit by monsoon flooding, while pockets of the eastern states of Odisha and Bihar have also been affected.

In Assam at least 77 people have been killed and a state-wide emergency relief operation has been underway since April. Tens of thousands of hectares of crops have been destroyed. </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> More than 550 people have been killed in flooding caused by heavy rains across northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Annual monsoon rains have triggered landslides and caused homes to collapse, and with many more people dying due to drowning, the death toll stands at 578.

Almost 16 million people are thought to have been affected by the flooding, with army soldiers and disaster management workers across the three countries launching mammoth rescue efforts to evacuate and provide food and shelter to those caught up in the disaster.

Soldiers have been forced to use motorboats to rescue people marooned on their rooftops, while air force helicopters dropped packages of food and drinking water to those trapped in their homes. </s> More than 550 people have been killed in flooding caused by heavy rains across northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Annual monsoon rains have triggered landslides and caused homes to collapse, and with many more people dying due to drowning, the death toll stands at 578.

Almost 16 million people are thought to have been affected by the flooding, with army soldiers and disaster management workers across the three countries launching mammoth rescue efforts to evacuate and provide food and shelter to those caught up in the disaster.

Soldiers have been forced to use motorboats to rescue people marooned on their rooftops, while air force helicopters dropped packages of food and drinking water to those trapped in their homes.

In the northern Indian state of Bihar, 11 million people have been affected by the flooding, with almost 500,000 in 1,300 in state-run relief camps where they are being provided with food and medical care.

More than 225 animals are also thought to have been killed in the famous Kaziranga National Park which has been almost entirely submerged in water.

Around 15 rhinos, a Royal Bengal tiger, and 185 deer were among the animals killed.

Hundreds of other animals were forced to flee the park in Assam state.

The monsoon season lasts from June until September. </s> Ahmedabad: Severe monsoon flooding has killed 213 people in western India, an official said Sunday, as rescuers continue to sift through villages devastated by torrential rains.

The death toll in Gujarat jumped from Wednesday’s total of 123 as waters recede from low-lying areas, allowing workers to reach remote spots where bodies are starting to appear. “The death toll in Gujarat this monsoon has risen to 213,” A.J Shah, director of relief operations with the Gujarat government, told AFP.

Overwhelmed authorities, who expect the toll to rise still further, said they have struggled to cope with the number of bodies needing identification and post-mortems, resulting in delays in confirming the latest deaths.

An official at the state’s emergency control room explained that “only after a post-mortem is conducted we can officially confirm death of a person”. “Since many bodies were found, postmortem took time hence the sudden jump in numbers,” the official, who requested anonymity, told AFP.

The rise comes after rescuers plucked 25 bodies, including 17 members of a single family, on Wednesday from two submerged villages in hard-hit Banaskantha district of Gujarat.

Rescue workers have moved close to 130,000 people from low-lying, dangerous areas as helicopters and boats try to reach those still stranded.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who surveyed the devastation across Gujarat from the skies last week, in his radio show on Sunday reassured flood-hit states that all help was being provided to them.

As well as Gujarat, the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have been hard-hit by monsoon flooding, while pockets of the eastern states of Odisha and Bihar have also been affected.

In Assam at least 77 people have been killed and a state-wide emergency relief operation has been underway since April. Tens of thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed.
The death toll due to the monsoon flooding in southern and western India rises to 147, while hundreds of thousands have been evacuated from their homes.