During the last fortnight of August, heavy rains and cloudbursts wreaked havoc in parts of North India, particularly affecting Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir. The devastation also extended to Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan. Social media is flooded with pictures and videos showing the widespread destruction caused by heavy rains.
Most states in North India have been devastated by continuous heavy rains and flash floods. This natural disaster turned hilly rivers into muddy torrents and the plains into vast seas. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 300-350 mm of rain in just 72 hours till the end of August, which is nearly three times the normal seasonal average. Officials and meteorologists have termed this as the most ominous flood in Northern India for the past forty years.
This flood has revived memories of the 1998 Punjab floods when rivers of the Indus water system submerged fields and towns. However, climate change, unplanned urbanization, and weakened infrastructure have exacerbated this calamity. This time, even the Indus river system, including the Indus, Ravi, Sutlej, Jhelum, Chenab, and Beas rivers, is overflowing.
Devastation in Kullu-Mandi and Kinnaur
Himachal Pradesh was the first to bear the brunt, with continuous cloudbursts causing the steep slopes of Kullu, Mandi, and Kinnaur districts to collapse and rocks and debris washing into rivers. Besides, the Beas and Sutlej rivers have breached embankments at multiple places. Over 250 roads, including a section of the Chandigarh-Manali highway, have washed away in the floods. Silt deposition at major hydropower plants like Nathpa Jhakri on the Sutlej River has forced the shutdown of turbines.
Additionally, Shimla and Kullu's apple orchards have been severely affected. Officials in Himachal estimate that over 10,000 hectares of orchard land has been destroyed, pushing back farmers' income by at least two seasons. By August 31, more than 220 deaths have been reported in Himachal, with property losses estimated at over 12,000 crore rupees.
Collapsed Bridges in Rajouri-Poonch
In Jammu, the water levels in Chanab and Jhelum rivers have reached dangerous levels. Bridges collapsed in Rajouri and Poonch, isolating several villages. In Srinagar, residents are wary of the 2014 flood memories as Jhelum neared its danger mark. Though embankments held this time, thousands had to be relocated to safety. In Jammu & Kashmir, 40,000 houses and 90,000 hectares of rice fields have been destroyed. Early government estimates suggest economic losses amounting to 6,500 crore rupees.
Source: aajtak
Flooded Punjab Villages
Meanwhile, the scenes of devastation were more pronounced in Punjab, surrounded by canals and drains. Excess water released from the Bhakra Nangal Dam caused the Sutlej River to swell. It wreaked havoc in Ropar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Firozpur areas, while additional flooding from the Ghaggar and Ravi rivers compounded the situation, increasing difficulties for the administration. By August 30, over 1,800 villages were submerged, and water inundated 250,000 hectares of fields, destroying crops worth 9,000 crore rupees.
Data suggests that ready-to-harvest rice, cotton, and sugarcane crops in Punjab remained submerged for several days. Poultry farms in Jalandhar and Kapurthala reported the death of over one million birds.
Source: aajtak
Additionally, dairy cooperatives have warned of milk shortages. Over 120,000 houses have been damaged, and thousands have been completely washed away, forcing millions to seek refuge in relief camps.
Source: aajtak
Punjab's industries have been affected as well, with Ludhiana's hosiery industry shutting down and food processing centers in Phagwara and Amritsar being submerged.
Economic Loss Exceeds 30,000 Crore
The economic toll of this disaster across the three states is staggering. Initial estimates from state governments and the central Home Ministry suggest that the total economic loss in all three states exceeds 30,000 crore rupees.
Meanwhile, insurance companies are preparing for claims worth thousands of crores. In response to this loss, the central government has released an interim relief of 3,000 crore rupees, but officials suggest that far more is needed for reconstruction, given that roads, bridges, power lines, irrigation channels, and drinking water infrastructure have been destroyed.
Expert Opinions
Experts suggest that this disaster will impact local economies for months due to reduced agricultural income, disruptions in tourism, and industrial halts.
Meteorologists describe how a stalled monsoon system in North India created a moisture-laden conveyor belt from the Bay of Bengal, invigorated by a western disturbance. This resulted in cloudbursts in the mountains and torrential rains in the plains, exacerbating already swollen rivers from melting glaciers.
Rise in Natural Disasters
Climate scientists emphasize that extreme events, once rare occurrences happening every 50 years, are now increasing steadily. The Himalayas are warming at nearly double the global average, accelerating ice and snow melt and increasing flood risks. Furthermore, deforestation, mining, and rampant construction on riverbanks and floodplains have destroyed the earth's natural shock absorbers.
Over 400 Lives Lost
This natural disaster has claimed over 400 lives and displaced more than a million people. Schools and colleges are closed, relief camps are filled, and health officials have issued warnings about waterborne diseases.
For now, the people of Himachal, Punjab, and Jammu are clearing debris from their homes and streets, waiting for the waters to recede and for the government promises of assistance to materialize. The floods of August 2025 will be remembered not only for their damage but also for the uncomfortable truths they revealed.
