Torrential Rains Devastate North India: 80 Dead in Himachal, Alerts Across Uttarakhand and UP

Himachal July 8, 2025 : Monsoon fury continues to wreak havoc across North India, with Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and parts of Uttar Pradesh facing the brunt of relentless rainfall. Landslides, flash floods, disrupted infrastructure, and rising river levels have triggered widespread alarm, prompting multiple alerts from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Himachal Pradesh remains the worst-affected, with the death toll climbing to 80 as of Monday. According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), 52 of these deaths are directly linked to natural calamities including landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts, while 28 fatalities occurred in road accidents.

Mandi district is bearing the maximum impact, with 176 out of 235 blocked roads located here. The region has also reported 17 rain-related deaths, followed by 11 in Kangra. Over 174 water supply schemes have been disrupted, severely affecting local residents. Authorities are racing to restore services, with 50% of drinking water schemes already operational in Janjehli, where Bailey bridges are being installed to reconnect isolated areas.

Rescue operations are ongoing in Mandi’s Thunag, Gohar, and Karsog subdivisions, where 28 people remain missing. Joint teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Army, ITBP, and Home Guards are involved in the high-stakes search missions.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in Una, Bilaspur, Solan, and Sirmaur on July 8 and 9, with Sirmaur under alert until July 10. Light to moderate rainfall is expected across the state until July 13.

In Uttarakhand, intense monsoon activity has lashed hilly districts such as Bageshwar, Chamoli, and Tehri. Bageshwar has recorded 765.5 mm of rainfall so far this season, far exceeding the average. Meanwhile, the plains, including Udham Singh Nagar, are facing high humidity due to below-average precipitation.

An orange alert has been issued for Nainital, Champawat, Rudraprayag, and Bageshwar from July 8 to 10, with warnings of heavy to very heavy rainfall and wind speeds reaching up to 50 km/h. Infrastructure damage is already being reported, particularly landslides in Rudraprayag and Bageshwar, and a hazardous pothole on Bhawali’s Shipra River bridge.

The state remains on high alert with the monsoon expected to intensify further.

In Uttar Pradesh, persistent rain has led to urban flooding and rising water levels in major rivers. In Moradabad, drain overflow and rainwater have submerged around 20 homes in Bholanath Colony, forcing residents to wade through waist-deep water.

In Varanasi, the Ganga River surged to 62.63 metres—just 8.63 metres below the danger mark—submerging more than 100 temples between Assi and Rajghat. Water has inundated key cremation areas, pushing last rites onto stairs and rooftops. Despite slight stabilization, the administration remains on high alert.

Bundelkhand and Kanpur districts also witnessed intense downpours Friday night, with street flooding and rainfalls between 21 to 33 mm recorded in several towns.

The IMD has issued a rain alert for 44 districts in Uttar Pradesh, forecasting heavy rainfall in 13 districts and thunderstorm activity with lightning in 31 others.