India's heavy rains cause floods, kill 30 in landslide on pilgrim route

By Tanvi Mehta

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Heavy rain set off a landslide on a famed Hindu pilgrimage route in India's northern region of Jammu, killing at least 30 people, the ANI news agency said on Wednesday, while floods prompted official warnings for people to stay indoors at night.

Weather officials forecast more rain and thunderstorms with gusty winds for the mountainous region of Ladakh, while heavy rain is set to lash the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Authorities were battling to restore telecom services as communication was "almost nonexistent", said Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of the territory.

Tuesday's landslide near the shrine of Vaishno Devi on the pilgrims' route killed at least 30 people, said ANI, in which Reuters holds a minor stake.

It was the latest havoc from downpours in the Himalayan region that have killed 60 people, with 200 missing in Kishtwar in Indian Kashmir last week.

Authorities also ordered the closure of educational institutions in Jammu, which weather officials said was deluged with 368 mm (14.5 inches) of rain on Tuesday.

The rivers Tawi, Chenab, and Basantar overflowed beyond their alert levels, causing floods in low-lying areas, Jammu district official Rakesh Kumar told reporters.

Television images showed vehicles falling into a big hole after a bridge collapsed on the Tawi river, while some highways linking Jammu to the rest of India were also damaged.

India's neighbour and archfoe Pakistan has also grappled with monsoon rains in recent weeks.

On Tuesday, Pakistan said its sprawling eastern province of Punjab faced a "very high to exceptionally high" danger of flooding from a combination of heavy rains and India's decision to release waters from two dams.

The number of displaced in the province now exceeds 150,000, including nearly 35,000 who left voluntarily after flood warnings triggered by heavy rain since August 14, officials said.

(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)