Landslides and heavy rainfall led to a tragic toll of more than 40 lives in Himachal Pradesh, a northern Indian state, on Monday, as reported by India's state broadcaster DD.

Among the casualties, at least nine individuals lost their lives when flooding caused the collapse of a temple in Shimla, the state capital and a renowned tourist destination. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. local time, confirmed by the state's chief minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, during a visit to the temple site on Monday.

The bodies of the deceased have been recovered, and efforts by local authorities to clear debris are in progress, as Sukhu shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday. While five individuals have been rescued, approximately 20 to 25 people remain trapped, prompting ongoing rescue operations.

Tragically, a total of 41 lives were lost across Himachal Pradesh on Monday. India's home affairs minister, Amit Shah, expressed his deep distress at the loss of life through a social media post.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is actively engaged in relief and rescue endeavors alongside local administrations. Amit Shah extended his condolences to the grieving families, emphasizing the NDRF's collaborative efforts in these challenging times.

Chief Minister Sukhu also took to X on Monday, assuring that authorities are providing all feasible assistance and support to the affected families. He urged the public to remain indoors and avoid venturing near rivers and areas prone to landslides.

Traffic police officials echoed the advice by urging people to refrain from traveling due to the ongoing heavy rainfall. The Indian Meteorological Department issued a red alert for the state, indicating the severity of the weather conditions.

Numerous videos and images shared on social media depict washed-out roads, toppled trees, and torrents of water cascading down mountains, carrying large rocks with them.

Himachal Pradesh has borne the brunt of this monsoon season's impacts, enduring another tragedy after the loss of more than 30 lives in July due to flash floods and landslides.

Some scientists contend that the human-induced climate crisis is contributing to the increasing chaos and unpredictability of India's monsoon seasons.