Continuous heavy rain has devastated India's Himachal Pradesh state, with authorities saying on Friday that 37 people were dead.

Another 26 people died in road accidents, Indian daily Hindustan Times reported. 

The mountainous northern state in the western Himalayas has been experiencing torrential rains and cloud bursts since last week, causing damage to houses, vehicles and other property. 

"Due to torrential rain, cloudbursts, and landslides in the region, daily life has been disrupted in several areas, including Thunaag and Janjheli in Mandi district. Relief and rehabilitation efforts are underway at a rapid pace in these areas," state Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu posted on X, with images purportedly showing the scale of the devastation.

What else do we know about the rain?

Mandi district has been the worst affected, with 40 people missing.

"It's raining heavily. Water is entering our classrooms; our clothes and books are soaked. Our teachers are telling us it's better to stay at home," Tanuja Thakur, a student from state capital Shimla told ANI news agency.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said these conditions were expected to persist and issued a rain alert for the state until July 7. 

"We have recorded over 400 crore ($46 million or € 39 million) in losses so far, as entered in our system. But the actual damage is likely to be much higher. Our primary focus at the moment is on search, rescue, and restoration," DC Rana, Special Secretary of the State Disaster Management Authority and Revenue Department told reporters on Wednesday. 

Several roads across the state are blocked and electricity and water supply have been impacted.

"These events are a consequence of global warming and climate change. Himachal is not untouched by these impacts," Rana said. 

Edited by: Kieran Burke