Surjan Singh, a farmer in the state of Punjab, stood on the porch of his house submerged in water and surveyed the damage caused by the worst rains to hit north India in decades.
“I would have earned a thousand dollars from each of the nine acres of land my brother and I own,” he said. “Now, not only is this paddy crop destroyed, but the soil will not be dry enough for wheat to be sowed in a couple months for a good yield.”
Heavy rains, flash-floods and cloudbursts have battered much of north India in recent weeks, killings hundreds of people and displacing over a million more. The extreme weather has also badly damaged crops at a particularly inopportune moment.
With a harvest just weeks away, the devastation is compounding the anxiety of India’s agriculture industry, which nearly half of the country depends on for their livelihoods. Already weighed down by heavy debt, the farming sector has found itself at the center of a tussle in tariff negotiations between the United States and India, with President Trump pushing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open his country’s markets to more American agricultural products.
Although heavy rains are common in northwest India during the monsoon season, August saw the highest rainfall in over two decades, according to India’s Meteorological Department. The agency recorded more than 300 millimeters of rain, about 12 inches, within just 72 hours at the end of August — almost three times the seasonal average for the period — which triggered the deadly flooding. September is expected to be uncharacteristically wet as well, the department said.
In the Indian capital, New Delhi, and its neighboring towns, schools have been shut, shelters have filled with families, and flooded roads have snarled traffic, exposing the country’s shoddy infrastructure.
In Punjab, considered the breadbasket of India, all of the state’s 23 districts have been declared flood affected. Nearly half a million acres of farmland have been submerged, according to the state government, causing severe damage to paddy, cotton, sugar cane and other crops. At least 37 people have died and more than 15,000 people have been evacuated, officials said.
“Punjab is in a very bad shape,” said Harjot Singh Bains, a minister in the state government. “This is an emergency situation.”
In villages like Singhpura, where Mr. Singh lives, water stretches as far as the eye can see. Electricity has been cut for days, affecting communication as people are unable to charge their phones. Some have moved to shelters or to relatives’ homes at higher elevation.
Many must rely on charity organizations for food and water. In a region known for its deep tradition of charitable help, Sikh temple groups and other organizations have been providing everything from clothes to sanitary napkins and animal feed.
On the minds of many farmers, already deep in debt, was how the loss of another crop would force them to seek further credit.
Kulwant Singh, 60, said he leases an acre of land for $700 a year and makes an annual profit of $120 an acre after he pays the landlord.
“Now I have to take a loan to repay the rent,” he said, pointing to the flooded fields. “Why will the landlord let go of his money because of the floods?”
Deadly landslides, flash-floods and cloudbursts have struck several parts of the Himalayas, where roads, bridges and power lines have been washed away, disrupting communication. Dozens of people have died in Jammu and Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan, while Uttarakhand has also suffered greatly.
Deepak Singh Bisht, who makes his living as a driver for tourists in the resort town of Nainital in Uttarakhand, said he has not had any customers for two months. The financial toll has been heavy.
“All roads are shut because of landslides. Where to drive to?” he said by phone. “Every year during the monsoon season, we live in fear. Every road is a danger when it rains. Who knows when there will be a landslide that swallows me with my car?”
Suhasini Raj is a reporter based in New Delhi who has covered India for The Times since 2014.
Pragati K.B. is a reporter for The Times based in New Delhi, covering news from across India.
Mujib Mashal is the South Asia bureau chief for The Times, helping to lead coverage of India and the diverse region around it, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.
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