New Delhi: The 2025 southwest monsoon continues to ravage northern India with intensified rainfall leading to flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides and infrastructure collapse. The death toll has surpassed 400 across the region, with over a million displaced and economic losses now estimated at ₹35,000 crore (about $4.2 billion), including severe agricultural and infrastructural damage.
August 2025 marked the wettest period in over two decades, with 5-10% above-normal rainfall exacerbating vulnerabilities in hilly and floodplain areas. Climate change has exacerbated these events, causing widespread road ravages, especially major highways over rivers and in mountainous terrains.
Restoration efforts are hampered by ongoing rains, with authorities estimating 2-6 weeks for partial traffic resumption on key routes and up to 2-3 months for full repairs in remote areas, depending on weather stabilization. Tourism, a lifeline for states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, faces massive setbacks, with road closures to hill stations and religious sites leading to cancellations, revenue losses exceeding ₹5,000 crore, and a projected 40-60% drop in visitor numbers through October.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh remains the hardest hit, with over 340 deaths from landslides, flash floods and structural collapses since June 20. Infrastructure losses include 687 roads blocked or washed away, 495 houses destroyed and 16 bridges collapsed, with total damages nearing ₹10,000 crore. Major roads ravaged include the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway (NH-3), severed by flash floods over the Beas River in Mandi and Kullu districts, and the Shimla-Kalka Highway, disrupted by landslides.
Over 661 km of roads are affected, including those crossing swollen rivers like the Sutlej and Chenab. Restoration may take 3-4 weeks for primary highways if rains subside by mid-September, but remote links could require 1-2 months due to debris clearance challenges. Tourism is crippled: Roads to hill stations like Manali, Shimla, and Kullu are impassable, leading to hotel occupancy dropping to 20-30% and widespread cancellations. Religious sites such as the Hidimba Devi Temple in Manali are isolated by floods, impacting pilgrim traffic and causing estimated losses of ₹2,000 crore to the sector.
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand reports around 200 deaths, with flash floods and landslides displacing thousands and destroying over 2,300 villages and 9,000 homes. Key roads damaged include the Kedarnath National Highway, ravaged by landslides in Chamoli district, and the Badrinath Highway (NH-58), blocked over the Alaknanda River. Flash floods have washed away bridges in Haridwar and Dehradun, submerging over 300 km of roads. Authorities anticipate 2-4 weeks to restore major traffic, with full normalcy in 1-3 months for hilly routes, pending debris removal and bridge reconstruction.
Tourism suffers greatly: Access to hill stations like Mussoorie and Nainital is restricted, and religious pilgrimages to Kedarnath, Badrinath and Gangotri are halted, with over 25 hotels destroyed near Gangotri. This has led to a 50% decline in bookings, economic losses of ₹1,500 crore, and warnings for tourists to avoid the region until mid-October.
Jammu and Kashmir (including Ladakh)
At least 50 deaths have been reported, with flash floods and landslides affecting pilgrim areas and causing widespread isolation. Major roads impacted include the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), cut off by landslides over the Chenab River, and the Mughal Road, ravaged by flash floods. Over 238 bridges are damaged, with 400 km of roads submerged. Restoration timelines: 1-3 weeks for essential highways, but up to 2 months for remote paths amid early snowfall in Ladakh.
Tourism is devastated: The Vaishno Devi Yatra was suspended due to landslides on access roads, affecting millions of pilgrims annually. Hill stations like Pahalgam and Gulmarg face closures, leading to a 60% drop in visitors and ₹1,000 crore in losses, with recovery expected only post-monsoon.
Punjab
Punjab has seen 35 deaths and 2.3 million affected, with floods ruining 3 lakh acres of farmland and displacing 2.56 lakh people. Roads over rivers like the Sutlej and Beas are heavily damaged, including NH-1 sections submerged in Ludhiana. Over 200 km of highways are affected. Restoration could take 2-4 weeks, focusing on urban links. Tourism impact is minimal compared to hills but affects rural heritage sites, with minor cancellations.
Haryana and Delhi
Heavy waterlogging has damaged roads like NH-44 over the Yamuna, which breached danger marks, submerging low-lying areas. Dozens of deaths reported regionally. Traffic restoration: 1-2 weeks for major routes. Tourism: Urban disruptions in Delhi affect historical sites, with a 20-30% visitor dip.
Rajasthan
Four deaths from flash floods, with roads in Bikaner and Jaipur damaged over seasonal rivers. Restoration: 2-3 weeks. Tourism: Minor impacts on northern hill areas, with some cancellations.
Uttar Pradesh (Northern and Western Parts)
Floods have damaged roads over the Yamuna, displacing thousands with 30-40 deaths. Restoration: 2-4 weeks. Tourism: Affects sites near Agra, but less severe than Himalayas.
The India Meteorological Department forecasts continued heavy rain into September, urging enhanced disaster preparedness. The crisis highlights the need for sustainable tourism and resilient infrastructure amid climate challenges.
