India Battered by Heavy Rains, Landslides, and Floods: Death Toll Rises

Severe weather conditions, including heavy rains, landslides, and floods, have wreaked havoc across India's western, central, and northern regions. The death toll continues to rise, with Kerala and Himachal Pradesh the hardest hit. Rescue operations are ongoing, involving multiple agencies, as authorities warn of more rain.

Heavy rains battered western and central India on Sunday, with a cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir closing the arterial Srinagar-Leh national highway, isolating the Kashmir Valley from Ladakh and rendering the Baltal base camp for the Amarnath Yatra unreachable.

Last week's landslides have pushed the death toll to 221 in Kerala's Wayanad and 11 in Himachal Pradesh. More than 370 pilgrims stranded on the rain-ravaged Kedarnath trek route in Uttarakhand have been evacuated, with over 10,000 rescued so far from various affected areas.

Army personnel have been deployed in Maharashtra's Pune amidst heavy downpours and water release from Khadakwasla dam. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has directed officials to be vigilant and relocate residents from hazardous zones with help from NDRF, SDRF, and the Army if necessary.