Fresh rains leave trail of destruction in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand

Fresh spells of heavy rain and cloudbursts wreaked havoc across Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh on September 15–16, leaving a trail of destruction in the already disaster-hit Himalayan states. At least 18 people have lost their lives, while dozens remain missing as swollen rivers, landslides, and flash floods battered the hill regions.
According to information,in Uttarakhand, 15 people were killed, 16 reported missing, and more than 900 stranded in different locations. Dehradun district bore the maximum brunt, with 13 fatalities. Among the dead were eight residents of Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district, swept away in Vikasnagar tehsil when a tractor-trolley attempting to cross the swollen Tons River was washed away. Two others from the group remain missing. Three people sustained injuries in separate incidents and are under treatment.Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday reviewed the situation in Sahastradhara, Maldevta, and other severely affected areas. He assured stranded people of all possible assistance while rescue teams intensified efforts to restore connectivity and evacuate those marooned. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs2 lakh compensation for the next of kin of the deceased from his state.
In Himachal Pradesh, three members of a family died after heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides and flash floods. The fresh showers added to the state’s monsoon toll, which has already been catastrophic this season. Since June 20, Himachal has recorded 46 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods, and 145 major landslides, leaving 417 people dead and 45 missing.According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, 1,502 houses were completely destroyed and 6,503 partially damaged, rendering over 1,500 families homeless. Losses have been estimated at Rs4,582 crore so far. The public works department suffered the heaviest damage at Rs2,803 crore, followed by the Jal Shakti department at Rs1,405 crore. As of Tuesday evening, 655 roads, including three national highways, were blocked, and 924 power transformers and 243 water supply schemes were disrupted.
In Maharashtra, Water Resources and Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan assessed the rain-hit Jalgaon region and directed officials to conduct immediate surveys of losses and relief needs.

#WATCH | Maharashtra | Maharashtra Water Resources & Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan assesses the damages in areas affected by heavy rains in Jalgaon.

He says, "Heavy rains continued for two days in 4 Tehsils which has caused heavy damage to the farmers... Water… pic.twitter.com/HWYmWqCQ9i

— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2025

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Congress said the Union Territory had also suffered “colossal damage” due to heavy rains and floods, urging Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure a proactive administrative response.