NEW DELHI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Over 40 people have died in rain-related incidents in India's northern states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab in the last 24 hours, media reports said on Monday.

As many as 24 people lost their lives and several others went missing in rain-related incidents in different districts of Himachal Pradesh. Several district administrations have announced a holiday on Monday in educational institutions due to heavy rains.

According to media, in Uttarakhand, at least 17 people died in flash floods following the cloudburst in Uttarkashi on Sunday.

In Punjab, three people of one family died when the roof of their home collapsed due to incessant rains, the report said.

The India Meteorological Department on Monday warned of heavy rainfall at isolated places over the northern state of Uttarakhand, central state of Madhya Pradesh, eastern states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and southern state of Tamil Nadu and Union Territory Puducherry.