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At least 56 people have died in floods and landslides triggered by three days of heavy rain in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the state disaster management agency said on Sunday.
More than 1,000 houses have also been damaged in the natural disasters, according to a statement from the state relief commissioner’s office.
“Record heavy rainfall across large parts of Uttar Pradesh has caused floods and landslides, leaving 56 people dead and many others injured,” the statement said.
According to AFP, Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state, with more than 240 million people. The state regularly experiences heavy rain and thunderstorms during the monsoon season, which generally runs from June to September.
The relief commissioner’s office said a depression formed over the Bay of Bengal and its movement onto land significantly intensified rainfall across the region, causing widespread flooding and damage.
Official figures showed that the state received an average of 66.5 millimetres of rain between Friday and Sunday, compared with a normal average of just 7.6mm for this period.
India’s meteorological authorities have in recent years warned of an increase in extreme weather events, including severe thunderstorms and lightning. Environmental experts have linked the growing frequency and intensity of such events to rising global temperatures and climate change.