Monsoon Fury: Landslides and Floods Claim Lives in Uttarakhand and J&K

As relentless monsoon rains continue to wreak havoc across northern India, rescue and relief operations have intensified in Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir, where a series of landslides and flash floods have claimed numerous lives and left many more missing. Authorities are sifting through debris in both regions, facing the dual challenge of continuous rainfall and the monumental scale of the destruction.

Uttarakhand: Cloudbursts Trigger Widespread Devastation

The hill state of Uttarakhand is grappling with the aftermath of multiple cloudbursts and landslides that have struck several districts, including Rudraprayag, Chamoli, and Bageshwar. Reports from officials confirm at least five deaths and more than a dozen people missing following overnight downpours that washed away houses, damaged infrastructure, and submerged farmlands.

In Rudraprayag, a cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides, particularly in the Basukedar and Jakholi tehsils. The force of the debris flow has left an estimated 30-40 families trapped in villages like Taljaman, while rescue teams work against the clock to reach them. The casualties include at least one woman, while eight people, including four laborers from Nepal, are still unaccounted for. Similarly, in Bageshwar district, heavy rain led to the destruction of several homes in Pausari village, resulting in the deaths of two women and leaving three others missing.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local police have been deployed for search and rescue operations, having already rescued over 200 people. However, the continuous rainfall has swollen rivers like the Alaknanda, Mandakini, and Balganga, raising fears of further flooding and complicating rescue efforts. Several key highways, including stretches of the Badrinath and Kedarnath routes, remain blocked, severely affecting travel and pilgrim traffic.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several districts, warning of “heavy to very heavy rainfall” over the next 24 hours, with an orange alert in place for other parts of the state. Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister has held a high-level meeting to expedite rescue work, relocate affected families, and restore essential services. The state is also still dealing with the fallout of a flash flood earlier this month in which nearly 70 people remain missing.

Jammu & Kashmir: Landslides Claim Lives Amidst Communication Blackout

Jammu & Kashmir is also bearing the brunt of the monsoon fury, with a landslide in the Mahore tehsil of Reasi district reportedly claiming the lives of seven members of a single family. This incident comes amidst a series of weather-related tragedies that have hit the region over the past few days. The total death toll from the recent spell of heavy rain and landslides has risen to at least 41 across the Union Territory, with the worst-hit being the pilgrimage route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, where a massive landslide earlier this week claimed 34 lives.

The inclement weather has forced the closure of the vital Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) due to multiple landslides and falling rocks, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. The Vaishno Devi pilgrimage remains suspended for the fourth consecutive day. Officials from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board have stated that the decision was made in view of pilgrim safety, with rescue operations continuing at the site of the landslide.

Disaster response teams, including the Army, Air Force, NDRF, and SDRF, are working in coordination to assist the affected population. However, communication services remain disrupted across large parts of the region, hindering relief efforts and making it difficult to assess the full extent of the damage. Rail traffic has also been suspended, with numerous trains cancelled due to breaches and infrastructure damage on tracks.

Authorities are keeping a close watch on the water levels of rivers, which are still running high, even as some parts of the Jammu division have seen water levels recede. The ongoing crisis highlights the urgent need for a more proactive approach to disaster management, as extreme weather events become a more frequent reality for the Himalayan states.