Indian floods destroy building, killing at least 3

NEW DELHI — A government official says at least 3 people have died and 12 others are missing after floods washed away an apartment building in northern India.

Amit Chandola says the three story building in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand state was hit Sunday night amid heavy flooding that has inundated large swathes of the state.

Chandola said Monday that with the causalities at the apartment building, the death toll from the floods was seven. Another 50 people are missing.

He said soldiers were leading efforts to rescue scores of people from the rooftops of their flooded homes. More than 10,000 pilgrims stranded along a mountain pass leading to a Hindu religious site were being evacuated by helicopter.

The River Ganges and its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark in several areas.