Monsoon havoc in northern India: Floods and landslides kill hundreds in Himachal, Punjab, J&K, Uttarakhand

Dubai: Relentless monsoon rains have triggered floods, landslides, and widespread destruction across Northern India, severely impacting Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Uttarakhand, Indian news agencies said.

Over the past several weeks, swollen rivers, collapsing hillsides and flash floods have claimed lives, displaced thousands, and caused extensive damage to homes, roads, crops, and public infrastructure.

Himachal Pradesh has borne the brunt of this year’s monsoon fury. According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), 340 people have died since June 20, including 182 from rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, and house collapses, while 158 perished in road accidents triggered by heavy rain.

The state is virtually cut off, with 1,334 roads blocked, including four national highways. Key tourist districts like Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, and Shimla remain inaccessible. Power infrastructure has been devastated, with over 2,100 transformers down, while nearly 800 water supply schemes are disrupted.

Officials say continuous rain over the past 48 hours has triggered multiple landslides and road cave-ins. Heavy machinery has been deployed to restore access, especially on national highways NH-03, NH-05, NH-305, and NH-707.

In Jammu & Kashmir, incessant rainfall has pushed rivers and streams above danger levels. Authorities sounded flood alerts as the Tawi and Chenab rivers crossed the evacuation threshold.

Schools and colleges across the division were ordered shut as a precaution.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a review meeting, directing officials to intensify relief, carry out evacuations in vulnerable zones, and safeguard essential services.

Punjab too is facing a severe flood crisis. Government reports confirm damage in 23 districts, affecting over 1,400 villages and 350,000 people.

Gurdaspur is the worst-hit district, with 324 villages inundated, followed by Amritsar and Hoshiarpur.

The state’s farming economy has been battered, with more than 148,000 hectares of crops damaged. Rescue teams have evacuated nearly 20,000 people, and 174 relief camps have been set up, with 74 still active.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 23 teams, while the Army, Air Force, and Navy have mobilised personnel and helicopters for rescue operations.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Uttarakhand, warning of extremely heavy rainfall in Dehradun, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Rudraprayag, and other districts. Authorities fear fresh landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts in vulnerable Himalayan regions.

District administrations have placed disaster teams on high alert and advised residents to avoid riversides and unstable slopes.

Transportation networks have collapsed across the northern belt. Train services in Jammu have been severely disrupted, with Northern Railway cancelling 68 trains and only gradually restoring a few. The Pathankot–Jammu section remains blocked after track misalignments.

Authorities have deployed shuttle services between Jammu Tawi and Katra to aid Vaishno Devi pilgrims, but normal operations may take weeks.

Meanwhile, in Delhi-NCR, moderate rain continues, leading to waterlogging and traffic snarls. Schools in Ghaziabad were ordered closed on Tuesday.

Yet, despite official efforts, the scale of destruction has left thousands homeless and without livelihoods. Residents in Punjab and Himachal have pleaded for faster compensation and rehabilitation.

The IMD has warned that more rain is expected in the coming days, raising the risk of further floods, landslides, and infrastructural collapse. For now, Northern India remains in the grip of a devastating monsoon season that has upended lives, destroyed crops, and tested the limits of state and central disaster response systems.