Disasters & Accidents

Death toll climbs to 31 due to heavy rains in southern India

New Delhi, Dec 22 (EFE).- India on Friday raised the death toll due to heavy rainfall in the southern state of Tamil Nadu to 31, while a large-scale rescue operation was underway.

“So far, according to official figures, we know that 31 people have lost their lives,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who hails from the state, told reporters at a press conference.

Over 42,000 people have been rescued from the flood-affected areas by various emergency response teams, the minister said.

Parts of the southern state received almost 116 centimeters of rain per square meter in about 30 hours between Saturday and Monday, a record for this time of year.

According to state Chief Minister MK Stalin, some 400,000 people in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts were “seriously affected” by the rainfall.

Although the heavy downpour has stopped, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Friday predicted “light to moderate” rainfall for the next five days in some parts of Tamil Nadu and the neighboring Puducherry.

The heavy rains come just two weeks after Cyclone Michaung left at least 14 dead and caused significant damage in Tamil Nadu, especially in the regional capital, Chennai. EFE

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