Monsoon rains wreak havoc

While torrential rain caused a flood-like situation in parts of Rajasthan; heavy rainfall and landslides in some areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim affected normal life and disrupted traffic movement

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, July 19: Uttar Pradesh bore the brunt of monsoon fury as rain-related incidents claimed 18 lives, with the IMD Saturday issuing alerts for heavy rain in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Kerala.

In Uttar Pradesh, 18 people died in a period of over 24 hours ending at 8 pm July 18. Of the total, eight died of drowning following excessive rain, while two were a result of snakebites.

In Chitrakoot, two deaths due to drowning were reported July 17 and 18, three in Moradabad July 17, and one drowned in Ghazipur July 18, according to an official statement. Rain-related incidents after downpour claimed three lives in Banda and two each in Mahoba and Chitrakoot, and one in Lalitpur July 18, the statement said. In Rajasthan, heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has resulted in flood-like conditions in several cities, including Ajmer, Pushkar, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, and Pali.