Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, and is scheduled to visit Punjab to assess the damage and review relief efforts. The visits come in the wake of severe flooding and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains that have wreaked havoc across northern India.
In Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister surveyed the Mandi and Kullu districts from Kangra to assess the devastation caused by the heavy monsoon rains. He arrived in Kangra around 1:30 p.m. and was welcomed at Gaggal Airport by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, and members of the Cabinet. Following the aerial survey, Modi is expected to chair a high-level review meeting with state authorities in Dharamshala. The meeting will include Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Union Minister JP Nadda, and other dignitaries approved by the PMO. During the meeting, the state government is expected to present a detailed presentation on the disaster to request a relief package for Himachal Pradesh. The Prime Minister will also interact with local residents affected by the disaster, as well as personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Aapda Mitra teams working on the ground.
After his engagements in Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister is scheduled to conduct an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Punjab. He is expected to reach Gurdaspur around 4:15 p.m. where he will hold discussions with senior officials and chair a review meeting on the ground situation. Modi will also interact with flood-affected people and personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, and Aapda Mitra teams in Gurdaspur.
The Prime Minister's direct review aims to closely monitor relief and rehabilitation efforts and ensure all necessary central support for the flood-hit people of both states. The BJP has stated that the visit is aimed at closely monitoring relief and rehabilitation efforts and ensuring all necessary central support for the flood-hit people of both states. Prior to his visit, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who toured Punjab on the Prime Minister's directions, briefed him about the ground situation, including the damage to standing crops and cultivable land, and illegal mining along riverbanks.
Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State President Aman Arora has urged the Prime Minister to bring a relief package of at least Rs 20,000 crore, criticizing what he termed as “mere flood tourism". He also demanded the immediate release of Rs 60,000 crore in pending funds, including Rs 50,000 crore in GST compensation and Rs 8,000 crore in Rural and Market Development Funds.
Punjab is reeling under severe floods, with the death toll rising to 51, according to the state's Department of Information and Public Relations. Swollen rivers and inundated districts have displaced thousands, prompting large-scale relief operations. The floods are a result of the swollen rivers of the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi along with seasonal rivulets caused by heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Crops on 1.84 lakh hectares have been damaged. Himachal Pradesh has reported 370 fatalities during the ongoing monsoon season. Among these, 205 deaths are linked to rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drownings, lightning, and electrocution, while 165 deaths occurred in road accidents, as per the State Disaster Management Authority.
