North India floods: Over 500 dead since June in Punjab, Uttarakhand, J&K, Himachal; PM Modi to visit affected states

North India floods

Northern India is reeling under one of the worst monsoon seasons in decades, with devastating floods and landslides claiming over 500 lives across several states, including Punjab, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Relief-and-rescue operations by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Border Security Force and district authorities are underway on a war footing as rivers overflow, villages remain submerged, and key pilgrimage routes lie buried under debris. To review the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the recent flood-affected states , government sources said on Friday.

Punjab: Worst floods since 1988, death toll rises to 46

Punjab is facing one of its worst floods in decades. The death count in the state has gone up to 46, while crops on 1.75 lakh hectares of land have been damaged in the deluge, NDTV reported citing officials.

A total of 1,996 villages in 23 districts have been affected due to the floods. More than 3.87 lakh citizens have been impacted, with 46 reported deaths, according to the latest bulletin on the floods, the report added. At least, 43 deaths were reported from 14 districts in Punjab between August 1 and September 5.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has announced that it will provide a financial assistance of Rs 5 crore to the Punjab government to aid in its relief efforts. Officials in Punjab have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a special financial package to manage the devastation.

Himachal among worst-hit states: 355 dead, 49 missing

Himachal Pradesh has been among the hardest hit, reporting 95 flash floods, 45 cloudbursts, and 132 major landslides since June 20. Officials were quoted by Business Today as saying that at least 355 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents, with 49 still missing.

According to a report by Business Today, the estimated damage to the state has reached Rs 3,787 crore, and 1,217 roads remain blocked, including major routes in Mandi, Shimla, Kullu, and Chamba districts. Key highways such as NH-3 (Mandi-Dharampur), NH-5 (Old Hindustan-Tibet Road), NH-305 (Aut-Sainj), and NH-505 (Khab-Gramphu) are shut, and train services on the Shimla-Kalka route remain suspended after multiple landslips.

Uttarakhand demands special assistance of Rs 5,702.15 crore

Uttarakhand has requested Rs 5,702.15 crore in special assistance from the Centre to cover losses caused by monsoon-related disasters. Between April 1 and August 31, the state recorded 79 deaths, 90 missing persons, and 115 injuries. Approximately 3,953 cattle have died, 238 pucca and two kutcha houses were destroyed, and 2,835 pucca and 402 kutcha houses were severely damaged. Several commercial establishments, including hotels, homestays, shops, and restaurants, have also been affected.

Central team will visit J&K to assess damages due to floods
A special central team will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir to assess the damages caused by recent floods, said J&K Chief Minister (CM) Omar Abdullah during his visit to flood-affected areas of south Kashmir on Saturday.

According to a report by Business Today, continuous rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir has left the Valley cut off from the rest of the country. Key roads, such as the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch, and Batote-Doda-Kishtwar routes, remain closed due to landslides.

In Jammu division, rail services have been suspended for nine days following track misalignments and breaches on the Pathankot-Jammu section caused by flash floods. Last month, a landslide near the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra claimed 34 lives.

18,000 flood-hit people displaced in Delhi, relief camps packed

Nearly 18,000 flood-hit people in the low-lying areas across Delhi have been rescued so far and shifted to 35 relief camps as the Yamuna continues to flow above the danger mark on Saturday.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, 7,200 residents are staying in seven camps in east Delhi, while 5,200 are spread across 13 camps in the northeast. A further 4,200 people are in camps in south-east Delhi, with additional camps are operational in north and Shahdara districts.

At one of the largest facilities in Mayur Vihar, officials were quoted by HT as saying that more than 1,300 people were being housed and provided with round-the-clock food and basic amenities, and new tents are being pitched to accommodate the rising influx.