Death toll form India monsoon floods jumps to 556: Official

Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon downpours have killed at least 556 people in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, a senior official says.

Uttrakhand’s Chief Minister Vijay Bahguna told reporters on Friday that the military was trying to recover the bodies buried deep in slush.

Rescue workers said they have also recovered dozens of bodies from the Ganges River in northern India.

India’s northern states have borne the brunt of the deadly monsoon floods in the country. Landslides and floods, set off by heavy rainfall, have left a trail of death and destruction in the region.

Local authorities said the death toll is expected to rise rapidly as hundreds of buildings have been washed away.

Around 50,000 others are still stranded and efforts are under way to rescue them.

The Indian Army has deployed more than 8000 troops alongside paramilitary forces to the affected areas.

Indian media say the deadly floods are man-made, due to widespread construction, massive mining and power projects in the northern states.