UPDATE - Deaths rise to 39 after heavy rains hit western India

UPDATES DEATH TOLL; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - The death toll from the rain-related incidents in India's western Maharashtra state rose to 39, an official said on Friday.

Nidhi Choudhari, a senior civil official in the Raigad district, said the deaths caused by landslides has climbed to 36.

"We have recovered the bodies ... Around the same number of people are missing," Choudhari told Anadolu Agency, adding that a rescue operation is going on in the area.

Earlier on Friday, Choudhari said that five people died in the landslides in Raigad and many are missing.

In a separate incident, three people died after a building collapsed in the eastern Mumbai's suburban neighborhood of Govandi early Friday, said Dr. Vidya Thakur from Rajawadi Hospital in Mumbai.

Maharashtra and other Indian states are currently witnessing monsoon rains that have caused flood-like situations in many areas and left thousands of people stranded.

The Indian Navy said that they have mobilized rescue teams for flood relief and evacuation in Maharashtra.

"Despite adverse weather conditions and widespread inundation in affected areas, a total of seven naval rescue teams departed by road for deployment to the Ratnagiri and Raigarh (Raigad) districts," a navy spokesman said.

Last week, at least 29 people were killed due to the landslides caused by heavy monsoon rains in Mumbai.