Death toll rises to 31 as rains trigger flash floods and landslides in four states

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<strong>As many as 31 deaths were reported on Saturday due to flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttarakhand.</strong></p>
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At least 22 people were killed in Himachal Pradesh, including eight members of a family, as heavy rain since Friday caused landslides and flash floods. Another six of a family who went missing in Mandi after a cloudburst are feared dead, Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said.</p>
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In Uttarakhand, four people were killed and 10 were reported missing after a series of cloudbursts. Thousands have been evacuated from several villages due to floods with rivers flowing above the danger mark washing  away bridges.</p>
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Odisha reported four deaths with 4.5 lakh people being marooned in 500 villages due to the floods.  The state government has deployed rescue and relief teams in several districts, including Mayurbhanj and Kendrapara. Around 70 people were rescued after a boat carrying them was swept away by strong currents in the flooded Mahanadi river on Saturday.</p>
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Heavy rain and gusty winds uprooted several trees and electricity poles, and inundated low-lying areas in several districts of Jharkhand.</p>
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Meanwhile, the Vaishno Devi Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district resumed this morning after being stopped overnight due heavy rain created a flood-like situation on the route.</p>
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The Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rain in West Madhya Pradesh on Sunday and in East Rajasthan on Monday.</p>