NEW DELHI, July 7. /TASS/. At least 72 people have been confirmed dead after floods and landslides swept through the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, first Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri told reporters.

"A lot of havoc is wreaked during the monsoon in Himachal Pradesh. Nearly 72 people have lost their lives. <...> The state government has geared up a lot of machinery, and we are restoring roads, water supply, and electricity on a large scale," he said.

According to the official, relief camps with food distribution points have been set up in the region. He also noted that alerts about new downpours continue to arrive.

Monsoon rains have been impacting the region for over two weeks already. The state’s disaster management authority reported that, in just the last 48 hours, 269 roads were blocked, 285 electricity transformers were damaged, and 278 water supply schemes were disrupted.

Most of the average annual precipitation falls in this region of India during the monsoon season, which lasts from late June to September.