India: scores dead as late monsoon rains inundate northern states.

Pedro_P

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More than 100 dead in deluge after delayed rains overwhelm inadequate drainage systems.

A waterlogged ward in a hospital in Patna, capital of Bihar, after vast areas of the state were inundated by delayed monsoon rains. Photograph: Sachin Kumar/AFP/Getty Images
▼  More than 100 people have died in flooding in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where vast areas have been inundated by delayed monsoon rains.
Videos shared on social media show submerged roads and heavy flooding at one of the major hospitals in Patna, state capital of Bihar, where patients lay on beds just inches above dirty water. Schools and offices are closed in many areas, and electricity supplies for some residents cut to one hour a day to prevent accidents.
In Uttar Pradesh, 93 people have died due to the incessant rains, which has caused homes to collapse and led to an increase in snake bites. Dozens of people have also died in Bihar, where boats have been deployed to rescue stranded residents.
Experts blame a lack of urban planning and poor drainage systems, which have been unable to cope with sudden and incessant rains over recent days.
Anand Sharma, of the IndiaMeteorological Department, said Bihar had experienced a deficit of monsoon rains until last week, when heavy rains returned levels to normal.
A major cause of the flooding was the lack of natural drainage in affected areas, he explained. “Natural drainage has been destroyed, natural ponds have been destroyed, people have built their houses on the flood plains. These are the problems because once you destroy the natural drainage, water doesn’t find a place to go out. It leads to flooding,” he added.
Farookh

asr335704

Poor infrastructure and lack of advanced planning is the main cause of this mishap.

While natural calamities can not be stopped, Instead of being reactive towards them, we should have proactive measures in place to minimize the causalities.

Rhett_Bassard

The 'poor drainage systems' of Bihar and UP sound like the canals of Chennai (TN). Are they still filled with garbage?

What comes after the flooding?
Kosu...

And with India's 3 species, there follows malaria, filaria, and encephalitis.

parivijesh100

In India, drainage system was never given any priority except in Chandigarh.  Bihar/UP is worst in this matter & they are biggest also to face such challenges.  Water management is very poor & only now the central Government has decided to work on it. Things will improve in next 3 years.

abhidebb

India suffers poor planning and infrastructural shortage. Rural people are the worst-hit and they suffer relentlessly.