Schools shut, more losses feared as rains continue to lash parts of India

NEW DELHI, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued a Red Alert, signalling extremely heavy rainfall, in several parts of the southwestern state of Maharashtra, particularly the Ratnagiri district, over the next 24 hours.

The department also issued an Orange Alert, signalling heavy to very heavy rains, for other areas in the state, including Mumbai, Raigad and Sindhudurg districts, for the next couple of days.

India's financial capital Mumbai has already been receiving incessant rains for the past few days, triggering water-logging and long traffic jams. One of the lakes near Mumbai is said to be overflowing as a result of heavy rains.

Meanwhile, schools and all educational institutions in the southern state of Telangana have been shut due to the continuing rains.

The situation in some parts of Telangana's neighboring state Andhra Pradesh is equally worse. Schools and other educational institutions in the rains-hit areas have also been shut as a precautionary measure.

Parts of the country's northern hilly state of Himachal Pradesh also continue to receive rains.

The state's revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi was quoted as saying that the state has suffered an estimated loss of around 60 billion Indian Rupee (around 731 million U.S. dollars) so far.

Around 188 people have died, with 195 injured and more than a dozen missing due to rains-related incidents, said the minister.

In addition, a total of 652 houses were fully damaged and over 6,000 houses were partially damaged. Rains are continuing in the state and a fear of more losses looms large, Negi reportedly said.