Severe monsoon rains have triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides in northern India, resulting in the loss of over 40 lives. The torrential downpour has caused widespread destruction, including the demolition of buildings, collapse of bridges, vehicle washouts, and dam breaches, with the hardest-hit area being the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh.
Residents have described the situation as an unimaginable and doomsday-like scenario unfolding before their eyes. Himachal Pradesh has reported 20 fatalities, while nine people have died in Punjab and Haryana, seven in Rajasthan, four in Uttarakhand, and three in Uttar Pradesh.
The heavy rainfall has caused several rivers, including the Yamuna in Delhi, to overflow, submerging towns, villages, and agricultural lands. Authorities have conducted large-scale evacuations of people living in flood-prone areas.
Climate scientists attribute the extreme rainfall to climate change, with Delhi experiencing its highest single-day rainfall in July since 1982. Dr. Roxy Coll, a climate scientist, stated that global warming has intensified the monsoon season, leading to changing rainfall patterns characterized by long dry periods punctuated by heavy downpours.
Mountainous regions, such as the Himalayan foothills and the Western Ghats, are particularly vulnerable to heavy rains and landslides in a changing climate. These regions obstruct the flow of abundant moisture, causing it to condense and result in intense rainfall.
Delhi, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have all witnessed rainfall well above average this season, with precipitation levels surpassing 100%. Authorities in the affected states have urged people to stay indoors due to the ongoing risk of flash floods.
The healthcare sector has also been severely impacted, with floodwater submerging parts of Sawai Mansingh Hospital in Jaipur, the largest healthcare facility in the city. Patients were seen lying on stretchers in corridors, highlighting the strain on resources and inadequate infrastructure.
India’s meteorological department has predicted further rainfall in the coming days, but predicting the exact areas prone to flash floods in the mountainous regions remains challenging. Experts have emphasized the need for climate-resilient planning and cautious infrastructure development in ecologically fragile zones to mitigate such disasters in the future.
The impact of the monsoon rains extends beyond India’s borders, as neighboring Pakistan has also reported casualties and injuries due to heavy rains in recent days.