At least 67 people have died in the state of Maharashtra in western India following torrential rains that caused landslides and flooding, Indian authorities said on Friday (July 23). 

The rivers of Maharashtra rose from their beds after the water was evacuated from saturated dams.

Over 200mm of rain fell in 24 hours on the West Coast, up to 594mm in some areas.

"Unexpected very heavy rains have triggered landslides in many places and caused flooding," said Uddhav Thackeray, chief executive of Maharashtra.

"Dams and rivers are overflowing. We are forced to release the water from the dams and, as a result, we are evacuating people residing near river banks to safer places."

The Indian Navy and Army are helping with rescue operations in coastal districts, he said.

But relief operations are complicated by the extent of the damage, including landslides that cut several roads, especially the highway between Bombay and Goa.

Flood submerged village, building collapses in Mumbai 

At least 36 people died in Taliye, 180 km southeast of Mumbai, when a landslide swept away most of the small village, said Vijay Wadettiwar, a regional minister.

At least four people have died after a building collapsed in Mumbai itself and 27 others in four landslides in other parts of Maharashtra, local executive officials said.

Building collapses are common in India during the monsoon season (June-September), with ancient and shaky structures giving way under days of unremitting rain.

“Rescue operations are underway in different places of Satara, Raigad and Ratnagiri. Due to the heavy rains and the swollen rivers, we are struggling to move the life-saving devices quickly,” said an official, who wished remain anonymous.

Thousands of trucks were stranded on a national road connecting Bombay to Bangalore in the south of the country, with the road submerged in places, another Maharashtra official said.

Hundreds of villages and dozens of towns in the affected areas of Maharashtra were without electricity and clean water, he added.

With Reuters and AFP

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