At least 148 dead in rain-related incidents; UP, Bihar most affected

Several parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were on Monday reeling from floods following incessant showers over past few days, with death toll in rain-related incidents mounting to 148 in country. highest number of deaths 111 were reported from Uttar Pradesh, while 28 people lost ir lives in Bihar since last week.  wear department has forecast a long-delayed withdrawal of Monsoon and more rains for Bihar, including capital Patna where several areas still remain submerged, and food and relief material are being airdropped. India recorded its highest rainfall this Monsoon since 1994, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said classifying it 'above rmal' as season officially ended on Monday. However, rain-bearing winds still remain active over several parts of country.

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Top ministers in states rescued from inundating waters

Of 36 meteorological subdivisions of IMD, two -- west Madhya Pradesh and Saurashtra and Kutch -- recorded precipitation in "large excess". In Patna, rmal life was thrown out of gear, with several schools shut, roads inundated, and many shops, hospitals and houses submerged in knee deep waters.  Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi was "rescued" by a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) boat. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and his son Chirag Paswan are putting up at a hotel instead of ir house in a posh locality of Bihar capital. Three fresh deaths caused by drowning were reported on Monday afteron, one from Nawada and two from Jehanabad district, raising toll to 28 in state.

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Forces swing into rescue and relief operations

An Indian Air Force helicopter commenced air-dropping of food and or relief material to people living in low-lying areas where water level is said to be several feet high. In Uttar Pradesh, since Thursday, 104 people have died in rain-related incidents, with state government on Sunday cancelling leave of officials in view of situation. On September 26, 36 people died, 18 people on September 27, 28 on September 28, 18 people on September 29 and four on Monday, according to officials.  In Ballia authorities had to shift about 900 prisoners to or jails after flood waters entered barracks of district jail located near Ganga river. In Jharkhand, three members of a family died in Dumka district after a wall collapsed on m following heavy rains in region.   

Delhi may witness scattered rains over next three to four days, according to wear office. In a year rest of India witnessed "above-rmal monsoon", city recorded lowest rainfall since 2014 with a deficiency of 38 per cent, IMD said. city recorded 404.1 mm rainfall this monsoon -- from June 1 to September 30 --  against 30-year aver of 648.9 mm, a shortfall of 38 per cent, an official said. With 10 per cent more rainfall than usual this year, India witnessed an 'above-rmal' monsoon which officially ended on September 30, IMD data showed.

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Besides se states, as many as 13 deaths were reported on Saturday from Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In Bihar, disaster manment department said six deaths have been reported from Gaya district where five persons were killed in a wall collapse while ar person drowned in a river which has been in spate because of rains. More than 4,000 people, including women and children, were rescued from flood-affected areas of Patna on Monday, NDRF said. force said it has deployed five teams, with about 45 personnel in each, to conduct rescue and relief works in city.

In hill state of Himachal Pradesh, light to moderate rainfall occurred in most places since Sunday evening, bringing maximum temperature down by a few tches, meteorological department said. In Gujarat, three women drowned after ir car was swept away at a flooded causeway in Rajkot district on Sunday following heavy rains in several parts of Saurashtra region. 

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