Heavy rains kill dozens, leave thousands homeless in India and Pakistan

JAIPUR, INDIA // Heavy rains over the past two days have killed at least 27 people and left thousands homeless in western Rajasthan state in India.

Meanwhile, heavy monsoon rains that triggered flooding in the Pakistan's north have caused at least 26 deaths, officals said.

"Twenty-seven persons have been killed in rain-related incidents. Maximum deaths have occurred in the state capital Jaipur," an officer from the state disaster management authority to said yesterday.

Torrential rains that began on Tuesday night have led to flooding in the normally arid state, throwing normal life out of gear.

"Many places have been inundated in different districts of the state following heavy rainfall," the state minister for disaster management Brijendra Ola said.

"Efforts are on to provide relief to people.

"Those who were stranded in low-laying areas have been evacuated and shifted to safer places like community halls, schools and other buildings."

Earth-moving machines and pumps have been deployed in rescue work.

The rains that started yesterday have killed 17 people and damaged about 500 homes in the Pakistan-held Kashmir region.

Nine people died on Wednesday in north-west Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Six of the deaths occurred in Mansehra district, and three in Nowshera district.

Pakistan suffered the worst flooding in its 65-year history in 2010.

Floodwaters inundated one-fifth of the country, an area larger than England, and killed more than 1,700 people. More than 20 million people were affected.