Monsoon fury in North India: Punjab, Himachal, J&K battle unprecedented floods and landslides

Incessant monsoon rains have caused widespread chaos across northern India. In Punjab, swelling rivers have inundated villages, swallowed hectares of farmland, and displaced lakhs of people, prompting the Chief Minister to get emotional while meeting affected families. The neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh has declared a disaster, with the Ravi and Beas rivers raging, causing landslides that have cut off highways and left homes in ruins. A reporter notes, "The Bias is swelling and the water has become a big destroyer here in Himachal Pradesh." The Jammu and Kashmir region is also severely affected, with the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closed due to landslides, triggering a shortage of essential supplies in the Kashmir Valley. Authorities have shut schools and colleges across Kashmir as a precautionary measure.