More than 1,600 die in India's heaviest monsoon season in 25 years

The extended rains have wreaked havoc, with northern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states the worst hit in the latest spell of intense downpours, killing 144 people since last Friday

Residents rescued from flood affected Rajendra Nagar area following heavy monsoon rain, in Patna, Monday, Sept. 30, 2019. (PTI Photo)

The heaviest monsoon rains to lash India in 25 years have killed more than 1,600 people since June, government data showed on Tuesday, as authorities battled floods in two northern states and muddy waters swirled inside a major city.

The monsoon, which typically lasts between June and September, has already delivered 10 per cent more rain than a 50-year average, and is expected to withdraw only after early