New Delhi: Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a Special Relief Package for states facing severe destruction due to relentless rainfall.
Sharing his concern on X, Gandhi highlighted the alarming flood situation in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and surrounding regions, describing it as “extremely worrying.” He urged the central government to act swiftly, emphasizing the plight of families struggling to save their homes, lives, and loved ones.
“In such difficult times, your attention and the active support of the central government are critically needed. I urge an immediate announcement of a Special Relief Package for these states, especially targeting farmers, and for relief and rescue operations to be expedited,” Gandhi wrote.
Widespread Flood Warnings Across States
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alert warnings for multiple districts in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, northern Punjab, northern Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, southwest Uttar Pradesh, northwest and eastern Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.
Notable districts under red alert include:
Jammu & Kashmir: Poonch, Mirpur, Rajouri, Reasi, Jammu, Ramban, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua, Doda, Kishtwar
Punjab: Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Nawashahr, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Barnala, Sangrur
Himachal Pradesh: Mandi, Una, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Solan
Haryana: Yamuna Nagar, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, SAS Nagar
According to IMD, rainfall intensity ranges from heavy to very heavy in Jammu & Kashmir, heavy in Chhattisgarh, and moderate across Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, coastal Odisha, coastal Maharashtra, coastal Karnataka, and the Andaman Islands.
Record Rainfall in Jammu & Kashmir
Between 8:30 am on Tuesday and 5:30 am on Wednesday, Jammu & Kashmir recorded significant rainfall:
Reasi: 203 mm
Katra: 193 mm
Batote: 157.3 mm
Doda: 114 mm
Baderwah: 96.2 mm
Jammu city: 81 mm
Other affected areas included Banihal (95 mm), Ramban (82 mm), Kokernag (68.2 mm), Pahalgam (55 mm), Srinagar (32 mm), Samba (48 mm), Kishtwar (50 mm), Rajouri (57.4 mm), and Qazigund (68 mm). By 6:45 am on September 3, Reasi received an extreme 230.5 mm of rainfall, underlining the severity of the situation.
Rising Water Levels and Preventive Measures in Delhi
Continuous rainfall in Delhi has led to the Yamuna River crossing the danger mark. The warning level is 204.5 metres, the danger level is 205.33 metres, and evacuation begins at 206 metres. Authorities have proactively shifted residents from low-lying areas near the river to Mayur Vihar Phase-1 as a precautionary measure.
