News Desk: Floods triggered by torrential rains in northern India killed at least five people on Wednesday, officials said, with more thunderstorms expected.
According to local media, 10,000 people have been evacuated from the river banks of the Yumana River in the capital, New Delhi, which has reached dangerous levels.
This year’s monsoon season in India has been severe, claiming at least 130 lives in August alone across northern regions, while also wiping out villages and devastating infrastructure.
The latest wave of flooding has affected northern parts of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab, with rivers such as the Chenab and Tawi rising above danger levels at multiple locations, Reuters news agency reported.
The swollen rivers have triggered landslides and caused significant damage to road networks, cutting off several mountainous areas in Himachal Pradesh from the rest of the country.
According to officials, at least five people were killed on Wednesday following landslides in the Rajouri and Mandi districts of occupied Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, respectively.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in the region on Wednesday, with more downpours likely in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
The Central Water Commission warned Yamuna River had reached its danger mark on Tuesday in Delhi.
Local media reported that nearly 10,000 people have been evacuated to relief camps set up by the government along major highways, as a precaution for those living in low-lying areas.
In 2023, residents along the Yamuna River in Delhi were also forced to evacuate after floodwaters entered their homes and the river reached its highest level in 45 years.
Many tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh have been affected by recent landslides, with raging rivers damaging key infrastructure.
Authorities have ordered the closure of educational institutions and advised residents to stay indoors due to ongoing flood warnings.
In neighbouring Punjab, Indian authorities reported that at least 30 people have died and nearly 20,000 have been evacuated since August 1.
Torrential floodwaters have swept through the agricultural heartland, destroying approximately 150,000 hectares of crops, according to a government statement issued yesterday.
It is pertinent to mention that continuous rain prompted authorities to release water from dams, which has caused flooding in the plains in India and Pakistan in recent days.
Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities issued an alert for more floods in Punjab on Wednesday after India warned it would release water downstream from its dams, officials said.
Officials said that New Delhi has previously issued four similar warnings to Islamabad.
According to the disaster management authority, the worst flooding in four decades has claimed at least 43 lives in Pakistan’s Punjab province, affecting more than 3.3 million people since August 26.
