Landslides in India kill at least 14 and leave 30 missing as climate change-related heavy rains continue | World News

Weeks of heavy rain triggered a landslide in northeastern India that left at least 14 people dead and more than 30 missing.

Police, villagers and emergency personnel worked to rescue people buried under the rubble in Noney, Manipur state.

Seven of those confirmed dead are members of the Volunteer Territorial Army, state premier N Biren Singh said, and five Indian Railways workers are among those missing.

The landslide affected a railway line under construction in the area.

The military was on the scene as they secured railway officials due to an uprising in the area.

The decades-long uprising ended up creating a separate homeland for ethnic and tribal groups.

Army helicopters were put on standby to assist in rescue operations after mud fell on a hillside at 2 a.m. Thursday, but the weather was described as very severe and frequent. More landslides are believed to be hindering rescue operations.

Rain has been falling continuously for the past three weeks, wreaking havoc Indiais the northeastern region, home to 45 million people.

Neighbor Bangladeshwhich is heavily influenced by rainfall, has also been severely affected.

So far, it is estimated that about 200 people were killed by the rain in states including Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Sikkim, and 42 people have died in Bangladesh since May 17.

Millions of people are said to have been forced out of their homes.

While the monsoon season usually arrives around this time, scientists say the annual rains come early this year, with torrential rains hitting northeastern India and Bangladesh as early as May Three.

Elsewhere, torrential downpours caused by the monsoon have fallen.

Experts say climate change at least the party responsible for the erratic early rains of the season.

With global temperatures continuing to rise as a result of climate change, scientists say the monsoon season will continue to be variable and more unpredictable, so rainfall that normally decreases throughout the season will arrive in the coming weeks. a shorter period of time.

Despite heavy rains in some areas, the latest figures from the state weather office show that India received 8% less rain than average in June due to meager rainfall in parts of the country. central region of the country.

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Central India received 54 percent less rainfall than usual for the month, according to India’s Meteorological Department, raising concerns for areas that grow a lot of cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.

In early May, a heatwave caused a forecast cut in India’s wheat production, leading to the country’s ban on exports of the staple, boosting food prices on world markets. , place Ukraine The war forced prices to rise.