39 NDRF teams deployed in four states to tackle heavy rains, floods

A total of 39 NDRF teams have been deployed in four north Indian states to tackle the heavy rains and floods that have been battering these regions since Saturday, a senior officer said on Monday.

While 14 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are working in Punjab, a dozen are deployed in Himachal Pradesh, eight in Uttarakhand and five in Haryana, he said.

"The rescue operations are being undertaken as per the situation on ground and in coordination with the state authorities," an NDRF spokesperson said.

The teams, with about 30-35 rescuers in each, are equipped with inflatable boats, ropes, tree cutters and other essential tools to launch rescue and relief operations, another officer said.

Torrential rains continued to wreak havoc in north India on Monday even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with senior ministers and officials to take stock of the situation.