September 8 NDA dinner scheduled at PM Modi's residence cancelled as floods ravage Punjab, other areas

PM Modi

The dinner scheduled for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs at the official residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 has been cancelled as Punjab and other areas of the country reel under massive flood, news agency ANI quoted sources as saying.

The dinner that was scheduled for tonight at the BJP national president JP Nadda's residence has also been cancelled.

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday expressed anguish over the devastation that the floods have caused in various parts of India and said that the monsoon fury has left behind a trail of "death and destruction."

"I have been deeply anguished every time I have come to know about natural calamities during the monsoon this year. Cloudbursts in the hills and floods in the plains have taken a heavy toll, leaving death and destruction in their wake in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Assam and many other parts of the country," President Murmu said in a post on X.

"The nation shares the sorrow of the people affected by calamities and is with them in this crisis. I commend the spirit of those involved in the rescue and relief operations. Together we will overcome this challenge," the President added.

According to the ANI report, the death toll related to floods in Punjab has risen to 43. The deaths were reported from Amritsar (5), Barnala (5), Bathinda (4), Fazilka (1), Ferozepur (1), Gurdaspur (2), Hoshiarpur (7), Mansa (3), Pathankot (6), Patiala (1), Rupnagar (1), Sangrur (1) and SAS Nagar (2) and Ludhiana (4). Three people remain missing, ANI quoted official data as saying.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh has recorded over 300 rain-related deaths this year, while the Yamuna in Delhi has crossed the danger mark, forcing evacuations in flood-prone areas. Punjab has confirmed widespread damage to crops and property, with nearly 3 lakh hectares of farmland under water.

Between September 1 and 5, Delhi received 719.5 mm of rain, Punjab 581.4 mm, Himachal 948 mm, Jammu and Kashmir 687.3 mm, and Assam 826.6 mm, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.

In Uttarakhand, the Char Dham Yatra, along with the famous Gangotri and Yamunotri routes, has been disrupted due to the rains. The state government has requested Rs 5,702 crore to offset the losses to the state.

In Jammu and Kashmir, villagers in the Bhaderwah district had been cut off after a cloudburst and flash floods, prompting the 4 Rashtriya Rifles unit of the Army to make a makeshift wooden footbridge in less than 18 hours to restore connectivity in the affected areas.

(With ANI inputs)