Rain is lashing NCR regions, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has intensified warnings across North India as the region grapples with the relentless onslaught of the monsoon. On Wednesday, the capital region was put on high alert, with an orange alert issued for several districts in Delhi-NCR, including West Delhi, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida).
The alerts come amidst a larger crisis unfolding across several northern states, where heavy rainfall has triggered severe flooding, landslides, and a rising death toll, prompting widespread school closures and emergency measures.
Widespread Disruption and School Closures
In view of the severe weather warnings, the safety of students has become a primary concern. Authorities in multiple cities have announced pre-emptive shutdowns of educational institutions. Schools remained closed on Wednesday in Noida, Ghaziabad, and Chandigarh. The situation is even more critical in the hills, where Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir are also under heavy rain alerts, leading to school closures.
The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) postponed exams for classes 10 and 11 scheduled for Wednesday due to the continuous downpour. In Punjab, where at least 30 rain-related deaths have been reported, the state government has taken a more extensive measure, ordering all schools, colleges, and universities to remain shut until September 7.
A Region Under Water: State-Wise Crisis
The impact of the monsoon is being felt acutely across several states:
Jammu & Kashmir: Continuous rainfall has caused heavy slush and boulders to tumble onto roads, blocking vital highways. Restoration work is urgently underway on the critical Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Leh and Ladakh have also been placed under a heavy rain alert.
Himachal Pradesh: The state is facing immense infrastructural damage, with a staggering 1,337 roads reported blocked. Mandi, Shimla, and Chamba are among the worst-hit districts. Several national highways, including NH-3 and NH-5 (the Old Hindustan-Tibet road), have been severed, isolating communities and hampering relief efforts.
Delhi: The Yamuna river has swelled to a record high, crossing the danger mark and prompting the closure of the Old Railway Bridge (ORB). The water level was recorded at 206.03 metres on Tuesday. As a precaution, evacuations have been carried out in low-lying areas along the riverbank, including Monastery Market near Kashmere Gate, Vasudev Ghat, and Yamuna Bazaar.
Cross-Border Warning on Humanitarian Grounds
Amidst the domestic crisis, India has issued a warning to Pakistan about the potential for cross-border flooding. According to sources, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has communicated to Islamabad a "high probability" of flooding in the Sutlej river. The alerts were reportedly routed on "humanitarian grounds," highlighting the transnational nature of the monsoon's impact and the shared river systems between the two nations.
As restoration work continues and rescue teams remain on high alert, the IMD's forecasts suggest no immediate respite. The coming days will be critical for North India as it battles one of the most challenging monsoon seasons in recent years.
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