Monsoon fury: Floods and landslides devastate India
Yamuna River in Delhi-NCR has breached the danger mark, submerging low-lying areas
NewsArc Bureau
New Delhi, September 5, 2025 — Torrential monsoon rains have unleashed widespread destruction across India, affecting both mountainous and lowland regions. From Delhi-NCR to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides have caused significant loss of life, property damage, and disruption.
Delhi-NCR: Yamuna River Overflows
The Yamuna River in Delhi-NCR has breached the danger mark, submerging low-lying areas such as Mayur Vihar, Nigam Bodh Ghat, Monastery Market, and Vasudev Ghat. In Noida, sectors 135 and 151 are inundated with 3–4 feet of water, trapping residents and disrupting daily life. Water has also entered the Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Civil Lines, and relief camps near Yamuna Ghat reported 2 feet of flooding. Authorities opened all gates of the Okhla Barrage to manage rising water levels, while pumps have been deployed to drain floodwater from affected areas.
Punjab: 43 Dead, Thousands Affected
Punjab is reeling from severe flooding, with 43 reported deaths and over 3.55 lakh people impacted across 1,655 villages in 23 districts. Floodwaters have destroyed crops on 1.71 lakh hectares of farmland. While the Bhakra Dam’s water level has dropped to just 1 foot below the danger mark, offering some relief, no rain alerts have been issued for the next five days. In Firozpur, floodwater from Pakistan has crossed the border, damaging a kilometers-long border fence.
Rajasthan: Ajmer Reservoir Collapse
In Ajmer, Rajasthan, the Boraj reservoir wall collapsed on Thursday night due to heavy rainfall, flooding over 1,000 homes. Residents sought safety on rooftops as water swept away vehicles and damaged houses. Rescue operations by the SDRF, Civil Defense, and local administration continued late into the night. Several colonies reported 1–1.5 feet of standing water.
Haryana: Schools Closed, Rivers in Spate
Haryana is grappling with rising water levels in the Yamuna, Ghaggar, Markanda, and Tangri rivers, flooding villages, roads, and homes. Schools in Panchkula, Hisar, Rohtak, and Jhajjar remain closed, with partial closures in Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, and Faridabad. Gurgaon’s Signature Global Salora Society saw women and children trapped in their homes due to flooding. The weather department has issued rain alerts for six districts.
Jammu & Kashmir: Connectivity Severed
Heavy rainfall and landslides have severed Kashmir’s connectivity with the rest of India, with the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and other roads washed away or damaged. In Bandipora, rising water levels in Wular Lake prompted the evacuation of 11 families from Kulhama village to a government school. The Jhelum River’s water level has dropped below the danger mark, but schools and colleges in Kashmir remain closed until September 6 as a precaution. In Ramban, flash floods and landslides damaged 283 homes, with 950 people relocated to safety.
Himachal Pradesh: Rescue Operations Underway
In Himachal Pradesh, 50 Manimahesh pilgrims stranded in Chamba’s Bharmour for 11 days were airlifted to safety on Friday morning via an Air Force Chinook helicopter. Over 400 pilgrims remain stranded, with 11 deaths reported due to heavy rain and landslides between August 24–27. The weather department has issued rain alerts for Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur, while a search continues for six people buried under debris in Kullu after two houses collapsed.
Madhya Pradesh: Cars Swept Away, Temples Flooded
In Madhya Pradesh, heavy rainfall has caused chaos, with cars swept away in Ujjain, Neemuch, and Rajgarh while crossing flooded bridges. In Ujjain’s Nandiyasi village, a car was rescued from the Bagdi River, while in Neemuch’s Ratangarh, locals saved three people from a vehicle stuck in the Gunjali River. Ujjain’s temples and Ratlam’s railway platform are submerged. An orange alert warns of up to 8.5 inches of rain in Ratlam, Jhabua, and Alirajpur in the next 24 hours.
Gujarat and Chhattisgarh: Dams and Alerts
In Gujarat, the Narmada Dam’s water level reached 135.94 meters, prompting the opening of 23 gates for the first time this season, with 27 villages on high alert. In Chhattisgarh, a dam breach in Balrampur claimed five lives, with two people still missing. The weather department issued rain alerts for Korea, Surajpur, Balrampur, Surguja, and Jashpur, warning of thunderstorms and lightning.
Bihar and Uttar Pradesh: More Rain Expected
Bihar’s weather department issued a yellow alert for six districts, including Arwal and Bhagalpur, with heavy rain expected in the next 24 hours. In Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, areas along the Yamuna River are submerged, exacerbating the crisis.
Relief and Response
Across affected regions, rescue operations involving the SDRF, NDRF, and local communities are ongoing. The Indian Army’s 4th National Rifles unit built a temporary wooden bridge in Jammu & Kashmir’s Beja village within 18 hours to aid stranded residents. Authorities are urging residents to stay vigilant as the monsoon continues to wreak havoc.
