Nearly 110 dead in 4 days due to torrential rains

New Delhi: Nearly 110 people died in rain-related incidents across the country in the past four days, with Uttar Pradesh reporting the maximum deaths, while incessant rainfall in Bihar has badly hit normal life, with almost all areas of capital city Patna under knee-deep waters and people struggling to meet their daily needs.

In what the weather department said could be the longest delayed withdrawal of Monsoon, rains continued to lash several states including Bihar, where at least 13 people have died over the past 48 hours, while large swathes were inundated, affecting railway traffic, healthcare services, schools and disrupting power supply. In Uttar Pradesh, at least 79 people have died since Thursday. According to a state government report, 25 people died on Saturday, 18 lost their lives on Friday and 36 the day before.

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 Saurashtra region, officials said.

As many as 13 deaths were also reported on Saturday from Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in incidents triggered by heavy rains. Meanwhile, IMD Director General Mritunjay Mohapatra said on Sunday that the four-month monsoon season which is officially ending on Monday is unlikely to withdraw even till the weekend. The IMD noted active monsoon still prevails over parts of Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

In hard-hit Bihar, a bird's eye view of state capital Patna made the city appear like a vast lake dotted with concrete structures.

According to the weather department, the state capital has received more than 200 mm of rainfall since Friday evening, which Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Pratyay Amrit described as "totally unexpected".