Massive floods have left people scrambling for help in West Bengal's Hooghly district.

Video shot on Friday 6 August showed homes and businesses inundated with muddy flood waters.

Over 300 villages across Hooghly district have been affected by the rising waters.

Rain has wreaked havoc in three districts of West Bengal -- Hooghly, West Midnapore, and Howrah -- affecting around 500,000 people. More than 300mm (11.8 inches) of rain has been recorded there in the last few days.

So far 16 people are reported to have died, electricity has been cut off since last Saturday and the Indian Air Force has airlifted 31 people from rooftops. Many more are still waiting to be rescued.

According to the Meteorological Department, a low-pressure trough over the North Bay of Bengal and sea moisture is causing heavy rains.

Scientists have blamed climate change for a recent increase in extreme weather events around the globe.

Massive floods have left people scrambling for help in West Bengal's Hooghly district. Over 300 villages across the Hooghly district have been affected by the flood fury. Rain has wreaked havoc in three districts of West Bengal, Hooghly, West Midnapore, and Howrah. More than 300 mm of rain has been recorded here for the last few days. So far 16 people have died. About 500,000 people are affected. Boats are plying on the roads in Dharampur Municipality. There is no electricity in these areas since the last Saturday. The Indian Air Force has airlifted 31 people from the rooftops.

Many people in the village have taken shelter on the roofs of buildings and are waiting to be rescued. The government has sent more than a hundred thousand tarpaulins, one thousand metric tonnes of rice, water pouch sacks, and clean clothes to the shelter homes. According to the Meteorological Department, a low-pressure trough over the North Bay of Bengal and sea moisture is causing heavy rains.