North India Faces Worst Floods in Decades as Death Toll Rises and Crops Destroyed

New Delhi: North India is facing one of its worst flood disasters in over three decades, as relentless rains, overflowing rivers, and landslides have caused massive destruction across several states. Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, and parts of Delhi have been badly affected, with lakhs of people displaced, crops ruined, and entire villages submerged.

In Punjab, the situation is especially severe. Nearly 2,000 villages have been affected by floodwaters, and 43 people have lost their lives so far. Over 3 lakh acres of farmland, mainly rice paddies that were ready for harvest, are now completely under water. Roughly 4 lakh people have been displaced or are living in extremely difficult conditions. Many areas remain without electricity or access to clean drinking water. The stench of rotting animal carcasses hangs over several villages, further adding to the health hazards.

In neighbouring Haryana, 12 districts and more than 1,400 villages have been hit, with over 2.5 lakh acres of standing crops damaged by floodwaters. In Himachal Pradesh, the devastation has reached an even more alarming scale. Landslides, cloudbursts, and heavy rains have claimed over 320 lives. Roads, bridges, homes, and farmland have been swept away. In the hill districts of Shimla and Kullu, around 25,000 acres of apple orchards — a key source of livelihood — have been destroyed. Across all the flood-hit states, the total death toll has crossed 170, and lakhs remain in need of immediate help.

Amid this humanitarian crisis, the Haryana unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) is helping those affected. On September 5, trucks carrying food, drinking water, and essential materials were sent by DYFI volunteers to some of the worst-hit areas in Punjab. 

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has called on the Union Government to declare the situation a national disaster and take immediate action. In a statement, the CPI(M) Politburo criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union Government for its inaction despite the scale of the tragedy. The party has urged the Union Government to mobilise rescue teams, medical support, clean water, and financial aid on a war-footing.

CPI(M) has also directed its state units and local committees to actively take part in relief efforts, raise funds, and extend all possible help to those affected. The party expressed deep condolences for the lives lost and extended solidarity to the lakhs of people suffering in the aftermath of the disaster.