Overall, Northwest India has recorded 23 percent excess rainfall since June, the highest August totals in decades for some regions.
Published Sep 03, 2025 | 12:29 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 03, 2025 | 12:29 PM
Eastern Command of the Indian Army engaged in rescue operation in Punjab. The state has seen its worst flooding in over decades. Credit: x.com/westerncomd_IA
Synopsis: Experts blame a combination of climate change, man-made encroachments, and natural monsoon patterns for the intensified crisis. As rains persist, residents have been advised to stay indoors and stay updated, with forecasts indicating above-normal downpour through September.
Catastrophic heavy rains over the past week has triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and flash floods across North India, leading to deaths, displacement, and massive damage to infrastructure and crops.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has attributed the extreme weather to an active monsoon trough and low-pressure systems, with Punjab emerging as the hardest-hit state, experiencing its worst floods in nearly four decades, reported The Hindu.
Other severely affected regions include Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir, where cloudbursts and swollen rivers have amplified the devastation.
The IMD has issued red alerts for continued heavy rainfall in these regions through mid-September, warning of potential flash floods and landslides.
heavy to very heavy rainfall over Jammu & Kashmir, heavy rainfall over Chhattisgarh and moderate rainfall over Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, coastal Odisha, coastal Maharashtra, coastal Karnataka and Andaman Islands.
@ndmaindia… pic.twitter.com/xQYiXbO1Hk
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 3, 2025
Several people have been reported dead across the region, with thousands displaced and over 1,200 villages inundated. Agricultural losses have added to the woes too – with hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland submerged – the threat of food security has become real in the coming months.
Punjab is grappling with one of its worst flood disasters in decades, surpassing the scale of the 1988 floods in some areas. As per a Business Today report, at least 30 people have lost their lives, and over 3.5 lakh residents have been affected, with more than 1,200 villages marooned by overflowing rivers like the Sutlej and Beas.
दिल दहला देने वाला दृश्य।
Pray for #Punjabपंजाब में इंसान और जानवर दोनों पीड़ित हैं। मासूम, बेज़ुबान जानवर बहते पानी में गुम हो जाते हैं, किसानों का यह दर्द शब्दों से परे है। 💔
महादेव, सभी को सुरक्षित रखे।#PunjabFloods pic.twitter.com/t4ohwsrvAV
— Soil and Salute 🇮🇳 (@RishiRahar) September 3, 2025
Indian Express reported that in Ludhiana, “black floods” from polluted industrial water have entered homes, exacerbating health risks.
Nearly 3 lakh acres of agriculture land have been destroyed, and infrastructure damage includes inundated roads and bridges. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has declared the state disaster-affected and called for central assistance, while relief camps house thousands of evacuees.
Himachal Pradesh has been pounded by relentless downpours. Widespread landslides and flash floods have claimed multiple lives and isolated remote villages.
Critical highways, including the Kullu-Manali, are blocked, and over 661 km of roads have been damaged or submerged.
IMD Flood Alert !
In the next 24 hours, moderate to high risk of flash floods is expected over parts of Uttarakhand, J&K, Ladakh & Himachal Pradesh.
Districts at risk include:
🔹 Uttarakhand: Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Dehradun, Pauri, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Tehri,… pic.twitter.com/Kxkb5Fxjxy— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 2, 2025
Thousands of homes have been affected, with reports of entire communities cut off from essential supplies.
The IMD has flagged extreme rainfall risks, with some areas receiving over 250 mm in a single day, heightening fears of further cloudbursts.
In Uttarakhand, serial flash floods and landslides have resulted in dozens of deaths and missing persons, with a notable incident on the Kedarnath highway claiming two lives and injuring six.
A bridge in Chamoli was washed away, disrupting connectivity to pilgrimage sites. Foothill regions have seen extreme downpours, leading to swollen rivers and urban flooding. While the schools remain closed, the Uttarakhand government has urged residents to avoid visiting low-lying areas amid red alerts.
Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed deadly flash floods and landslides, with at least 36 fatalities, reported India Today. Heavy rains have suspended the Vaishno Devi Yatra and caused massive flooding in low-lying areas.
Jammu & Kahsmir AWS Rainfall data upto 2345 Hrs IST of 02.09.2025 pic.twitter.com/gQmJxpCnMZ
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 2, 2025
Thousands are affected, with roads blocked and homes destroyed. The Jammu division faces extreme risks, with forecasts predicting up to 200 mm more rain in the coming days.
Neighboring states like Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan have also been impacted. Yamuna River in the national capital has crossed the danger mark and caused waterlogging in urban areas.
Rajasthan reported four rain-related deaths. Overall, Northwest India has recorded 23 percent excess rainfall since June, the highest August totals in decades for some regions.
The Centre is coordinating relief, with heavy machinery deployed to clear debris and restore roads. Rescue operations are underway, involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), state governments, and the Indian Army, but challenging terrain and ongoing rains are hampering efforts
Experts blame a combination of climate change, man-made encroachments, and natural monsoon patterns for the intensified crisis. As rains persist, residents have been advised to stay indoors and stay updated, with forecasts indicating above-normal downpour through September.
(With IMD inputs)
