27 dead as rains lash west India state

AHMEDABAD, India: At least 27 people have died in three days of torrential rains which have lashed parts of India´s western Gujarat, state officials said Wednesday.

Disaster response teams have been deployed to rescue dozens of people in the state, where residents are bracing for more heavy monsoon rainfall.

“Deaths in rain-related incidents in Gujarat rose to 27 on Wednesday, with nine more deaths reported during the day,” the state government said in a statement.

The figure raises an earlier toll of 18, with most of the latest deaths caused by drowning, the government said.

The worst-hit areas included Palitana and Jesar towns, which on Tuesday registered 867 millimetres of rain over the past 24 hours.

State relief commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey said on Tuesday the first 18 deaths recorded were the result of storms, lightning strikes, and structural collapses due to rough weather. “The state is fully geared to handle the situation, and inter-departmental coordination is being intensified to ensure swift relief and rescue operations,” Pandey said.