Rain plays havoc in north India: dozens dead, roads flooded, houses washed away

Rain fury continues in the entire north India as states struggle with submerged roads, flood warnings, and washed away houses. Several people have died, and many others remain missing in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, which have been witnessing serial flash floods triggered by cloudbursts over the past few days.

Meanwhile, as many as 29 people have died in Punjab and thousands have been displaced as the state faces the "worst flood in recent history". Similar scenes were noticed in Delhi and its adjoining National Capital Region (NCR), with floodwaters entering people's homes and officials warning of more threats as nearby barrages constantly release water. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has, however, predicted no respite for at least seven days.

Schools in several regions, including those in J&K, Gurugram, Uttar Pradesh, and Chandigarh, are closed today. Private and corporate offices in Gurugram, which saw a 20-kilometre-long traffic jam on Monday after heavy rain pounded the city and NCR, have been asked to follow work-from-home for the day. Several key stretches in Delhi-NCR and highways in J&K and Uttarakhand have been blocked due to flooded roads or rubble from landslides, respectively.

Over 10 districts in Punjab have been flooded due to heavy rain and the release of water from dams. The state recorded 253.7 mm of rainfall in August, 74 percent above normal and the highest in 25 years. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann warned that the situation could deteriorate in the coming days.

More than 50 people have died in Jammu and Kashmir in the past fortnight due to heavy rain and flash floods. The situation has kept the Jammu-Srinagar Highway closed for eight consecutive days. Meanwhile, land sinking happened in Rajouri and Samba districts on Monday after incessant rain, prompting authorities to evacuate 19 families. In Doda, 500 houses have suffered damage due to rain and flash floods.

At least 10 people died as Uttarakhand continues to bear the brunt of rainfall and cloudbursts. As many as 69 people remain missing in the hill state, which saw a series of cloudbursts in August, triggering landslides and flash floods, thus destroying houses and leaving people and animals under debris.

The IMD has predicted heavy rainfall in northwest India, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana, among others, until September 7. It has, however, forecast very heavy rainfall in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh today.