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This year’s monsoon has wreaked havoc across large swathes of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, leaving a trail of destruction. Floods and landslides have claimed lives and demolished infrastructure, with fresh bouts of heavy rainfall continuing to cause damage.

In the national capital, Delhi, torrential rain in August and earlier this month inundated low-lying areas, disrupting daily life. Gurugram was entirely flooded, with viral videos showing cars stranded or floating on waterlogged roads.

The area around the Red Fort was submerged in waist-deep water, leading to road closures and restricted movement. Compounding the crisis, the Yamuna River exceeded the danger level multiple times due to intense rainfall, raising fears of widespread flooding across the city.

 

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In Mumbai, persistent rainfall caused severe waterlogging. Last month, the monorail broke down due to flooding, while subways and major roads were submerged, stranding commuters. Hyderabad also experienced heavy and relentless rain throughout the weekend, with roads completely flooded and two men reported missing in separate incidents during the downpour.

On Monday, another landslide struck Gaygin district, west Sikkim, washing away part of a mountain, according to live reports. Fortunately, the debris fell into a river, avoiding damage to infrastructure or road blockages.

 

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On the same day, one person perished in a separate landslide in West Sikkim, along with four cows. Earlier on Thursday, four people had also died in the region due to landslides, all triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall. On Tuesday, several states reported fresh destruction and chaos caused by overnight rains.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Torrential rain battered Himachal Pradesh once again, triggering floods and landslides across multiple districts. In Mandi, rainfall that began at 11 pm on Monday intensified by 1 am, forcing residents to flee their homes in panic.

The overflowing Sauli Khad River inundated the Dharampur bus depot, submerging the entire premises. Floodwaters swept away buses, cars, and two-wheelers parked there, and several homes were also flooded.

 

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Dharampur DSP Sanjeev Sood said evacuation efforts continued through the night, with no fatalities reported so far. In Shimla, a massive landslide in Himland trapped several vehicles and blocked a major road, severely disrupting traffic. Authorities have suspended all adventure sports, including rafting and paragliding, in Kullu until 30 September due to the risk of flash floods.

At least three people were killed in a landslide in the Nihri area of Mandi district, where debris from a cliff collapsed onto a house. Two people have been rescued, with operations still underway.

Since the onset of the monsoon season on 20 June, 409 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents in Himachal Pradesh, with 41 still unaccounted for. Of those killed, 180 died in road accidents. Official statistics indicate the state has incurred losses of Rs 4,504 crore.

JHARKHAND

In Ranchi, heavy rain on Monday caused severe waterlogging across the city. The most alarming incident occurred under the Kanta Toli flyover, where accumulated water weakened the ground. A Scorpio vehicle passing through sank more than 30 per cent into the road surface due to subsidence.

The driver, unaware of the danger, was rescued by local residents. While the SUV was damaged, no injuries or fatalities were reported. The water had reportedly been stagnant for hours, causing the ground to collapse.

UTTARAKHAND

Heavy overnight rain in Uttarakhand caused widespread damage, submerging roads, damaging homes and shops, and washing away a bridge early on Tuesday.

Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said, "Damage has been reported from Sahastradhara and Mal Devta in Dehradun, and also from Mussoorie. Two to three people are said to be missing in Dehradun. A death has been reported from Mussoorie and is being verified."

Disaster Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman later confirmed that four people have died in the state, and the disaster management department remains on high alert due to the heavy rainfall.

 

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The relentless downpour also triggered a cloudburst in Karligad, Sahastradhara. The district administration launched rescue and relief operations, moving local residents to safer locations during the night. DM Savin Bansal took charge immediately, coordinating with various departments and dispatching rescue teams to the site.

Teams from SDRF, NDRF, and PWD, equipped with JCBs and other necessary equipment, conducted rescue operations. Some shops were swept away in the incident, though no loss of life was reported. However, two people remain missing, and search operations continue. The district administration is on high alert, with all IRS-linked departments actively engaged. SDM Kumkum Joshi reached the site during the night under DM instructions.

 

Also Read: Heavy rains flood Tapkeshwar Mahadev shrine in Dehradun

In Dehradun, a large section of a bridge on the Dehradun-Vikasnagar National Highway collapsed due to the continuous rainfall. In Prem Nagar, a youth trapped in the raging Tons River clung to an electricity pole to save himself. Teams from the NDRF and police rushed to the scene and, after hours of effort, rescued him safely.

Due to the heavy rainfall, the Dehradun DM has declared a holiday for all schools from Class 1 to 12.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the damage to shops in Sahastradhara, stating he is in constant contact with district authorities and personally monitoring the situation. "I pray to God for everyone's safety," he wrote in Hindi on X.

 

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JAMMU AND KASHMIR

In Rajouri district, the newly constructed Kotranka-Khawas road, spanning 32 km, has suffered extensive damage due to continuous rain and landslides over the past two weeks. Built in 2023-24, the road is a vital link between Kotranka subdivision and Khawas tehsil but has been completely closed for 15 days.

 

The disruption has caused significant hardship, with students unable to attend school and patients struggling to reach hospitals. "For the past 15 days, the road has been closed. Elderly and school children are facing difficulties. No one from the administration has come to repair the road. We request that the road be restored," said Jatinder Sharma, a resident of Badhal village.

 

Also Read: Landslides damage Kotranka road in Rajouri

Land subsidence has exacerbated the crisis, severely damaging at least seven homes. In one striking case, a two-storey house shifted approximately 50 metres from its original site while remaining upright, causing panic. Additional Deputy Commissioner Kotranka, Dilmir Choudhary, said residents have been evacuated and essential supplies, including food, are being provided. Relief and compensation efforts are underway.

In Poonch, nearly 400 residents of Kalaban village in Mendhar subdivision were moved to temporary shelters after several homes developed cracks due to continuous rainfall.

 

Also Read: Chandrabhaga floods Rishikesh, SDRF rescues three people

MANIPUR

Severe monsoon flooding has struck Manipur after the Iril and Thoubal rivers breached their embankments at multiple points since Monday, submerging large areas of Imphal East and Thoubal districts.

Thousands have been displaced as homes, roads, and bridges were inundated, with families forced into relief camps. Several areas, including Wangjing Wangkhei, Wangjing Hodamba, and Wangjing SK Leikai, were affected, and even a relief camp at Wangjing Kodompokpi Sports Complex was flooded.

 

Landslides at Kairembikhok Mamang Ching blocked the Nongdambi River, worsening flooding in villages such as Kairembikhok, Shalungpham, Langmeithet, and Lourembam. In Shalungpham alone, over 200 homes were submerged.

 

In Thoubal district, breaches at Thoubal Haokha Mamang Leikai Thounaobjam impacted nearby areas, while in Imphal East, the Iril River burst its banks at Kshetrigao Bengon around 4 a.m. on Monday, flooding thousands of homes and farms. Authorities reported that at least 3,000 households were affected in and around Yaingangpokpi.

 

Compounding the crisis, the Unity Bridge connecting Imphal East and Thoubal collapsed on 14 September, severing a critical transport link for relief operations. State officials are evacuating residents and assessing damage, but water levels remain high as the monsoon persists.

 

Also Read: Death toll in Himachal rises to 409, losses over Rs 4,500-cr