India, Aug. 27 -- North India is reeling under a devastating monsoon spell that has battered the hills and flooded the plains, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Relentless rains, swelling rivers and landslides have paralysed life across Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand, with the impact spilling into Punjab and Haryana. From temples and highways to homes and hotels, little has been spared from the fury of the skies-highlighting yet again the vulnerability of the region to erratic monsoon behaviour.

In Jammu and Kashmir, tragedy struck the sacred pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi when a massive landslide rolled down the Trikuta hills midway along the 12-kilometre trek, according to reports. The disaster near Inderpra...