India monsoon floods, landslides kill more than 100 since July

Floods and landslides triggered by India's monsoon rains have killed more than 100 people since July, official data showed Wednesday, with thousands forced to flee their inundated homes. Scientists say climate change is making the annual monsoon more erratic, unpredictable and deadly across South Asia.

How many people have died in India's monsoon floods?

Monsoon-triggered floods and landslides have killed more than 100 people across India since July. Assam has recorded at least 87 deaths, according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while Kerala has reported 15 deaths and seven people missing. Indian-administered Kashmir has recorded at least 31 deaths from intense bursts of rainfall.

What is happening in Assam?

Assam is among the hardest-hit states, with at least 87 people killed by the monsoon rains, according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The state's Sivasagar district has been worst affected, with some 47 deaths recorded as several areas remain underwater. Sarma described the devastation as unlike anything the region has previously witnessed and said state authorities have appealed for public donations to fund relief and rehabilitation efforts. "Material losses can be restored, but no compensation can replace a loved one," he wrote on X.

AFP images showed residents using rafts and inflated boats to reach higher ground with help from the state's disaster response officials.

How have Kerala and Indian-administered Kashmir been affected?

In Kerala, Chief Minister VD Satheesan said at least 15 people have been killed and another seven remain missing after several days of heavy rain. More than 300 relief camps have been set up across the state, sheltering over 10,000 people, after the rains triggered landslides and caused rivers to breach their banks.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, at least 31 people have been killed by short bursts of extremely intense rainfall, according to a report from the public state broadcaster. Monsoon-related disasters occur annually across India, typically following long summers marked by water scarcity and drought in many parts of the country.

Is Sri Lanka also facing monsoon flooding?

Neighboring Sri Lanka has also experienced unusually heavy monsoon rains, which have triggered flash floods and mudslides that have killed at least eight people since Monday, according to the country's Disaster Management Centre. Some 12,000 people have been driven from their flooded homes in the central region.

At the same time, Sri Lanka's eastern regions have been gripped by severe drought, forcing authorities to transport drinking water to residents by tanker truck.

What is causing this year's extreme monsoon weather?

Sri Lanka's government said last month that the severe weather events were linked to this year's El Nino phenomenon, which warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. The government has yet to estimate the potential economic losses from El Nino's effects but has set up a ministerial task force to mitigate its impact.