INDIAN authorities have moved around a million people into emergency camps in recent days as the death toll from monsoon floods jumped Monday (12) to at least 184.
The southern state of Kerala, a tourist haven known for its beaches, hill resorts, and backwaters, has been the worst-hit region for the second consecutive year, forcing the closure of the Kochi international airport for three days last week.
"At least 76 people have died, 58 are missing and another 32 have received injuries," Pramod Kumar, Kerala police spokesman, told.
Around 288,000 people across the state's worst-affected districts including Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode have been moved to relief camps.
At least 42 people have also lost their lives in neighbouring Karnataka state, which has seen some of its worst flooding of recent years.
"We have evacuated over 580,000 people", a senior Karnataka government official told.
Many key highways and roads across the affected regions have been damaged or cut off by rising waters.
Local emergency personnel and troops from the army, navy and air force have been deployed for search, rescue and relief operations.
Indian media have also reported 66 deaths in the western states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, with tens of thousands of people shifted to relief camps.
While the monsoon rains are crucial to replenishing water supplies in drought-stricken India, they kill hundreds of people across the country every year.
Last year Kerala was hit by its worst floods in almost a century with around 450 people killed.
Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Getty Images
Tourists visit Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, about 112 km south of Srinagar on June 26, 2025.Getty Images
Pilgrims gather at the Baltal Base Camp near Domel, en route to the sacred Amarnath cave in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 29, 2025. The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, proceeds under heightened security following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony handler. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers across the pilgrimage route, with checkpoints, surveillance, and restrictions in place to safeguard the thousands of devotees undertaking the arduous journey. The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages, drawing worshippers from across India to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the threat of violence and challenging terrain, pilgrims continue their spiritual trek, determined to complete the sacred journey under the shadow of grief and resilience.Getty Images
