Record-breaking rainfall in the drought-prone state of Rajasthan has adversely affected the lives of people, increasing the death toll to 33 on Saturday from 14 on Thursday.
According to recent reports, ten people have died in Jaipur, four in Sikar, and three each in Bhilwara and Churu district. Two people each were killed in Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Dausa, Sawaimadhopur, and one each in Ajmer, Tonk and Jhunjunu.
Most of these victims died of drowning and wall collapse incidents, while some were electrocuted, CNN-IBN reported.
Meanwhile, army assistance has been sought to start relief operations in the low-lying flooded areas.
Defense spokesman SD Goswami told IBNS that "Army assistance is sought by civil administration, besides internal security for natural calamities."
"The present protracted heavy rainfall was unprecedented in Rajasthan, including the capital of Jaipur, for which required certain elements from Army's South Western Command to be activated for flood relief duties, on being requistioned by the civil administration," he said.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has raised the compensation sum from ₹150,000 to ₹200,000 each for the families of the deceased.
Also, relief columns have been send to the affected areas including Sikar, Madrempura and Jaipur among others, with 10,000 sand bags and 10 water pumps.
"The flood relief columns comprises of professionally trained troops in execution of all types of conceivable rescue and relief tasks in flood affected areas along with the requisite equipment, medical team and other support elements of the army," Goswami said.
This year's rainfall is said to be the heaviest in over three decades after 1981, when the city had recorded 326 mm rainfall in a single day. Till Thursday, Jaipur had received a record 300 mm rainfall in the tehsil and 170 mm in the city.
Normalcy in the state had come to a standstill, while schools re-opened on Friday after being closed for two days in a row.
