New Delhi, 6 October 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Dozens of people are still missing after flash floods in India, while the number of dead has risen to at least 38, the Times of India reported on Friday.

Rescue efforts in the north-eastern state of Sikkim, bordering China, Nepal and Bhutan, were being complicated due to continuing bad weather and damaged infrastructure.

The floods destroyed many houses and bridges after one of the worst storms the region has witnessed in decades. The death toll stood at 14 on Thursday but has steadily increased.

The Indian Army has warned about firearms and explosives having been washed away after military camps were also damaged in the floods. It has urged people to call police before handling military equipment.

Two people died after they were injured by a mortar floating in the Teesta river, police said.

Heavy rains started late on Wednesday in Sikkim, leading to a sharp rise in the level of the Teesta River. There was also an overflow from a glacial lake and a dam burst in the mountainous region.

Photo: MIA archive