At least 26 new people have been reported dead in India due to flooding caused by monsoon rains or because they were struck by lightning, local authorities announced on Monday.
Millions of people in both India and Bangladesh are regularly threatened due to floods that experts attribute to climate changewhich increases the frequency of rains, their severity and their suddenness.
Until Saturday, the authorities had recorded at least 59 deaths in both countries, according to the AFP agency.
In the state of Assam, in northeastern India, three people died as a result of the landslide and six died in the floodsaccording to the authorities in charge of disaster management.
In the state of Biharfurther east, lightning strikes left at least 17 deadaccording to the minister in charge of disaster management, Renu Devi.
Floods and landslides hit the district of #Mandiin the Indian state of #himachalpradesh. pic.twitter.com/6CMjp8fWKV
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Y in the neighboring state of Meghalaya, at least 16 people were killed since June 17 after landslides and river floods.
Bangladesh was also affected by devastating floods that have killed dozens of people and affected millions.
“The emergency shelters are full. There are big problems with food and drinking water. Many are afraid to go home and others have lost their homes during the rising waters,” Mosharraf Hossain, chief administrator of the Sylhet district, in the northeast of the country.