The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh has risen to 81, with 62 people injured and more than 2,250 homes damaged after three days of intense rainfall, according to the latest government figures.
The state government said the heavy downpours between 25 and 27 September triggered widespread flooding, causing significant damage to residential areas and agricultural land.
At least 154 animals have also died in rain-related incidents, while authorities are continuing to assess the extent of crop losses across the affected districts.
Sitapur was among the worst-affected districts, recording seven fatalities, followed by Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich and Balrampur, with five deaths each, according to figures from the Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner's office.
Schools were closed on Monday in several parts of the state, including the capital, Lucknow, while rescue teams continued moving residents from inundated areas to safer locations.
Authorities urged people to avoid unnecessary travel through flooded areas and to stay away from rivers, streams and drainage channels amid continuing risks.
The state recorded an average of 66.5 millimetres of rainfall over 48 hours, compared with the normal 7.6 millimetres for the period, representing an excess of 775%, according to official figures.
Atul Kumar Singh, an expert at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said rainfall was expected to ease from Monday as a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal weakened.
However, light rain could continue in eastern and western parts of Uttar Pradesh until Tuesday, he added.
The flooding has also affected the eastern state of Odisha, where more than 75,000 people have been evacuated to safer areas, according to officials.
The latest extreme weather events come amid repeated warnings from meteorological agencies and scientists about the growing intensity of extreme weather, particularly across South Asia, as rising temperatures and climate change contribute to increasingly severe climatic conditions.
