NEW DELHI: As people, particularly farmers, cheered the early monsoons in north India, those in Assam blamed it on the rain god as Army was called out to rescue marooned people in the flood-hit state even as rain- related incidents claimed over 10 lives elsewhere.

The Army deployed boats and rafts to transport people taking shelter on roof tops to relief camps set up in highlands, schools and colleges in worst-hit Lakhimpur district. The official death count was four in the state.

An alert was sounded in coastal Orissa as incessant rains due to deep depression over northwest Bay of Bengal, about 250 km from Balasore coast, claimed one life in Mayurbhanj district.

Six persons were killed in separate incidents in Uttar Pradesh due to heavy rainfall since Sunday, taking the toll of rain-related deaths this season to 12.

A woman drowned and five houses were damaged in Doda and Reasi districts of Jammu and Kashmir following heavy rains and flash floods.

Landslides triggered by rains struck en route the Vaishnodevi shrine, damaging several electric poles and disrupting power in some areas of Katra belt.

In New Delhi, traffic snarls and water logging failed to dampen the spirit of capital denizens as they continued their tryst with early monsoons which gave them much needed respite from the sultry weather.

Moderate to heavy rainfall continued to lash most parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh as farmers were thrilled it will benefit paddy plantations.

A woman along with her son died in house collapse last night in Jalandhar while three persons were killed and two injured when lightning struck them at a village in Bihar's Banka district.

Source : PTI