Unabated monsoon rains battered large parts of India on Thursday, unleashing floods that washed away bridges, cut off villages, and left thousands of people stranded. Rescue operations intensified across multiple states as swollen rivers and rising dam waters inundated homes, farmland, and roads. While regions from Himachal Pradesh in the north to Kerala in the south struggled with destruction, the Kashmir Valley finally saw a reprieve after two days of heavy downpour, easing fears of another major deluge.
5 Dead In Telangana In 2 Days
Telangana recorded some of the heaviest downpours of the season. In Kamareddy district, one person was killed when a wall of his house collapsed, while five others remain missing after being swept away by floodwaters. Ramareddy village alone received 171.3 mm of rainfall within eight hours, while Kaldurki in Nizamabad registered 163.8 mm, according to the Telangana Development Planning Society.
In Telangana, officials confirmed at least five deaths due to rain-related incidents since August 27. “Three people, who were stranded in floods, are still missing,” they said. Fatalities include people swept away by torrents and one death caused by a wall collapse in Telangana.
The impact on infrastructure was significant. South Central Railway cancelled 69 trains after tracks were submerged in the Hyderabad division.
Himachal Pradesh Villages Cut Off After Ravi River Swells
In Himachal Pradesh, the Ravi river surged to destructive levels, sweeping away several government buildings in Kangra district’s remote Bada Bangal village. Officials confirmed that a primary school, a high school, the panchayat ghar, an ayurvedic dispensary, and a civil supplies store containing around 70 quintals of food grain were destroyed.
Baijnath Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sankalp Gautam told news agency PTI that the devastation had left the village completely cut off. “180 quintals of ration is being sent to the village but the roads are blocked. Essential items and medicines would be air-dropped if the need arises,” he said.
Authorities explained that a communication breakdown delayed the flow of information, with reports of destruction only reaching them on Wednesday night. Adding to the crisis, two bridges connecting the village were washed away, leaving residents stranded at an altitude of 7,800 feet. Bada Bangal, which is normally accessible only by foot through high-altitude passes such as Thamsar and Kalihani, already spends four to six months isolated during winter.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, 536 roads are shut across 11 of Himachal’s 12 districts. Connectivity with Chamba remains unclear as the entire district has lost its communication network.
Kashmir Sees Respite as Flood Threat Recedes
In stark contrast to Himachal’s crisis, Jammu and Kashmir experienced relief after the Jhelum river and its tributaries began receding. Officials said water levels dropped below the flood alert at Sangam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. In Srinagar, however, the river continued to flow above the danger mark, though with a downward trend.
“There were heavy rains in both Jammu as well as in Kashmir. God saved us. Had the rainfall continued for a day or more, we would have faced immense difficulties. But the water has started receding. It recedes faster in Jammu and takes some time here in Kashmir,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.
Abdullah added that he would soon review flood mitigation measures put in place since the devastating 2014 floods and make course corrections where required.
The Meteorological Department forecast more rain between August 30 and September 1, warning of moderate to heavy rainfall in some districts of Jammu. A second spell is expected between September 2 and 6, though officials described it as brief and scattered.
Punjab Grapples With Flash Floods, Evacuations in Amritsar and Hoshiarpur
Punjab remained one of the worst-hit states, with at least eight districts struggling against flash floods. In Amritsar, Army teams assisted the district administration in evacuating stranded residents, including elderly people and children, from the inundated Ramdas area. Amphibious all-terrain vehicles and boats were deployed as waters from the Ravi river gushed into low-lying villages.
Officials reported that in Hoshiarpur district alone, 1,052 people have been rescued so far from submerged areas in Tanda and Mukerian sub-divisions. The inflow of water from the Beas river, compounded by rainfall, has kept several villages cut off. Relief camps have been established—15 in total—currently housing 413 people, 280 of whom were shifted within the past 16 hours.
Flood damage to agriculture has been extensive. At least 5,287 hectares of farmland have been destroyed, with paddy and maize crops among the worst affected. Seventeen kutcha houses have collapsed, five sustained severe damage, and one was partially damaged, according to state authorities.
Ganga Aarti Impacted In Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan Struggle with Swollen Rivers
In Varanasi, the rising Ganga river disrupted both religious and daily life. Officials said the river touched 70.91 metres on Thursday morning, crossing its warning mark of 70.262 metres and inching close to the danger mark of 71.262 metres. The surge impacted cremations and the daily ‘aarti’ rituals along the city’s iconic ghats. Floodwaters have inundated the lower parts of the Dashashwamedh Ghat, prompting the organisers to hold the daily ritual on the roofs of the adjoining buildings.
Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, waters began receding in Bundi district, but villagers in Nainwan, Kapren, and Keshoraipatan were seen salvaging remnants from their flood-ravaged homes. Farmers bore the brunt of the calamity, with soybean, mung, urad, and maize crops severely damaged.
The Meteorological Department warned that the relief might be short-lived, forecasting a fresh spell of heavy showers in southeast Rajasthan from August 29–30. Areas in Kota and Udaipur divisions are likely to see intense rain, with Jodhpur and Bikaner also bracing for moderate to heavy downpours.
Rain Lashes Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnataka;
In Maharashtra’s Nanded and Latur districts, officials said more than 2,200 people were shifted to safety. Seventeen revenue circles in Mukhed, Kandhar, and Naygaon reported heavy rain, with Biloli and Narsi in Nanded alone recording 115 mm of rainfall. Latur district reported 29 circles receiving more than 65 mm.
Further south, Kerala saw intensified rainfall triggering landslides at Thamarassery pass in Wayanad and swelling reservoirs. The India Meteorological Department issued an ‘orange’ alert in six districts—Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod—signalling very heavy rainfall between 11 and 20 cm.
In Karnataka’s Bidar district, overnight rain submerged several bridges, including Dadagi bridge in Bhalki taluk, halting vehicular traffic. In Dakshina Kannada, authorities declared a holiday for all educational institutions as the IMD issued another ‘orange’ alert and warned fishermen against venturing into the sea.
