Death toll in rain-related incidents rises to 145 in India

Several parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were on Monday reeling from floods following incessant showers over the past few days, with the death toll in rain-related incidents mounting to 145 in the country.

The highest number of deaths 111 were reported from Uttar Pradesh and 25 from Bihar since last week.

The weather department has forecast a long-delayed withdrawal of Monsoon and more rains for Patna, where several areas still remain submerged due to heavy rainfall over the past three days.

India recorded its highest rainfall this Monsoon since 1994, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said classifying it 'above normal' as the season officially ended on Monday. However, rain bearing winds still remain active over several parts of the country. Of the 36 meteorological subdivisions of the IMD, two -- west Madhya Pradesh and Saurashtra and Kutch -- recorded precipitation in "large excess".

In Patna, normal life was thrown out of gear, with several schools shut, roads inundated, and many shops, hospitals and houses submerged in knee deep waters.

The Bihar disaster management department said the state government has urged the air force to send a helicopter for air-dropping food packets and other relief material in affected areas.

Though there was a let up in rainfall in the morning, the IMD has predicted showers later on Monday in the Bihar capital.

Delhi may witness scattered rains over the next three to four days, according to the weather office.

In a year the rest of India witnessed "above-normal monsoon", the city recorded the lowest rainfall since 2014 with a deficiency of 38 per cent, the IMD said.

The city recorded 404.1 mm rainfall this monsoon -- from June 1 to September 30 -- against the 30-year average 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-normal' monsoon which officially ended on September 30, IMD data showed.

In Uttar Pradesh, since Thursday, 104 people have died in rain-related incidents, with the state government on Sunday cancelling leave of officials in view of the 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 other jails after flood waters entered the barracks of the district jail located near the Ganga river.

In Jharkhand, three members of a family died in Dumka district after a wall collapsed on them following heavy rains in the region. Besides these states, as many as 13 deaths were reported on Saturday from Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

In Gujarat, three women drowned after their car was swept away at a flooded causeway in Rajkot district on Sunday following heavy rains in several parts of the Saurashtra region.

Back in Bihar, the disaster management department said six deaths have been reported from Gaya district where five persons were killed in a wall collapse while another person drowned in a river which has been in spate because of rains.

In Jehanabad, a three-year-old girl died after a wall of an old house collapsed on her while she was playing.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, whose own residence was affected by the deluge, was seen doing the rounds of the city clad in a T-shirt and shorts, and issuing instructions to officials.

More than 4,000 people, including women and children, were rescued from the flood-affected areas of Patna on Monday, the NDRF said.

The force said it has deployed five teams, with about 45 personnel in each, to conduct rescue and relief works in the city.

In the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, light to moderate rainfall occurred in most places since Sunday evening, bringing the maximum temperature down by a few notches, the meteorological department said.