Officials say the death toll of 19 is expected to significantly rise after heavy flooding in northern India.

In one instance, an entire three-story apartment building was swept into the flood swollen Ganges river. At least 40 residents of the apartment building are reportedly missing.

Local journalists have reported that hundreds of cars have been swept into rivers.

A local police chief told the BBC he was searching for a family of five whose house was buried in a landslide.

“Rescue teams are on the way to the village, but local people say there is very little chance of the family surviving,” Mr G Shiva said.

The heavy rain was not the only strange weather to hit the region. In addition to the heavy rain that included flooding through the capital city of Delhi, the Chitkul area bordering Tibet is experiencing heavy snowfall which is unusual during summer.