India pounded by monsoons as flooding leaves hundreds dead

Massive relief operations continue across the Kashmir region of Northern India and Pakistan in response to the devastating floods that have killed hundreds and left ten of thousands stranded.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Authorities in Pakistan anticipate further rainfall and warn that worse is still to come.

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The death toll in Pakistan is 257 reported, and in India it's at least 150, injuries in each country expects the death toll to rise as rescuers regain access to areas that were cut off from them.

Key infrastructure, bridges and roads have been destroyed by the floods, and Indian soldiers are trying to erect temporary crossings in order to reach the stranded.

So far, India has focused their relief efforts on Srinagar and areas of south Kashmir due to the number of people still stranded without food and water.

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, visited the region and declared it a "national-level disaster."

"It is a matter of great distress that the retreating monsoon rains have played havoc in many parts of our two countries," he wrote in a letter to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, adding that "the devastation caused by the record rains and the consequent flooding is unprecedented."

India has managed to rescue 23,530 people who were stranded on their rooftops by the rains, using helicopters and boats. The Indian army is also utilizing social media to look out for distress messages and relay them to rescuers. So far, around 7,000 messages have been relayed.

"The Indian army will not move back to the barracks till the last man is brought to safety," said Indian army Gen. Dalbir Singh.

Currently the region is experiencing a four-month monsoon season, which shows no signs of diminishing, and wet weather is forecast for the following week as well. Western regions of India have usually seen the last of the monsoon weather by early September, but the Indian Meteorological Department says that "heavy to very heavy rainfall" will occur.

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