Rain fury: PM Modi to visit flood-affected states; to review situation

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the recently flood-affected states and review the situation, reported news agency ANI citing government sources.Officials told PTI that PM Modi will visit a few of these areas to take stock of the situation amid demands from some state governments for Central funds to deal with the crisis.Relentless monsoon rains across Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana have killed more than 500 people this season, with fresh landslides, flash floods and collapsing houses claiming dozens of lives in the past two days. Highways remain blocked, rivers are flowing above danger marks, crops have been flattened, and thousands are stranded as the region faces one of its worst weather disasters in decades.Himachal Pradesh has been reeling under a devastating monsoon, with widespread destruction reported across all 12 districts. Data from the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) shows that 355 people have died since June 20, 194 in rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, drowning, and lightning strikes, and 161 in road accidents. Another 416 people have been injured, while 49 remain missing. Among the worst-hit districts are Mandi with 58 deaths, Kangra (50), Chamba (43), Shimla (38), and Kullu (31).