Heavy rains lash parts of North India; 5 killed
New Delhi/Shimla: At least five people lost their lives and major transport routes were cut off as intense rainfall battered several parts of North India over the past 24 hours, affecting Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana.
In Delhi, torrential showers on Tuesday morning brought widespread waterlogging and traffic jams. Two people — a 40-year-old woman, Meera, and her 17-year-old son, Ganpath — died after a wall collapse in the Civil Lines area, while two others were injured. The Public Works Department received around 90 complaints of waterlogging, though PWD Minister Parvesh Verma claimed that perennial hotspots such as Minto Bridge and Moolchand underpass were clear. However, officials confirmed temporary flooding at Minto Bridge, prompting traffic diversions.
The India Meteorological Department had issued a “red alert” for the morning, later downgraded to “orange” after 11 a.m.
In Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, a cloudburst on Monday night unleashed flash floods that claimed three lives and buried over 20 vehicles. “Three people died, one person was injured, and a woman is missing,” Deputy Commissioner Apoorva Devgan said, adding that 15–20 people had been rescued from affected areas. The worst-hit localities included Jail Road, Saini Mohalla, and Zonal Hospital area, which received 198.6 mm of rain since Monday evening.
A relief camp has been established at Vipasha Sadan as several homes sustained damage. Rescue efforts by the National Disaster Response Force, police, and home guard are underway, while teams work to restore electricity and reopen blocked roads. The State Emergency Operation Centre reported 269 roads shut, including three national highways — the Chandigarh-Manali route, Mandi-Jogindernagar, and Mandi-Kotali — with key stretches washed away, leaving tourists stranded.
This calamity follows last month’s severe flooding in Mandi that killed 15 people between June 30 and July 1. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conveyed condolences and directed authorities to assist affected families.
Rajasthan also faced severe flooding, with rivers overflowing in Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, Dholpur, and Tonk. Authorities opened dam gates in several districts, and low-lying villages were inundated. The Baran-Jhalawar highway was closed after the Parwan River overflowed, while parts of Jhalawar saw entire villages submerged due to the swollen Rewa River. In affected zones, officials used tractors to reach stranded residents.
Schools were shut in 14 districts as the meteorological centre warned of heavy rain in 29 districts. In Bundi, Udaipur, and Dausa, houses, schools, and roads suffered rain damage, with two classrooms collapsing in Udaipur’s Kotda area.
Rajasthan has recorded 374.58 mm of rainfall since June 1, nearly 85 per cent above normal, placing 27 of its 41 districts in the “large excess” category.
Punjab and Haryana also witnessed showers. In Punjab, Gurdaspur recorded 96.7 mm rainfall, while Hoshiarpur, Balachaur, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Mohali also saw significant precipitation. Haryana’s Narnaul and Rohtak logged 25.6 mm and 15.4 mm rainfall, respectively, with Gurugram and Rewari also receiving showers.
The regional Met office has forecast continued rainfall in parts of North India over the coming days, warning of potential flooding in already saturated areas.
