At least 60 people have been killed and more than 100 remain missing after sudden, heavy rains triggered floods and landslides in Indian Kashmir on Thursday, local authorities and media reported. The disaster struck the village of Chasoti, sweeping away pilgrims gathered for lunch before trekking to the Machail Mata shrine, a popular Hindu pilgrimage site.
Witnesses described a roar followed by a torrent of water and mud, with some victims swept into the Chenab River and others buried under debris. Rescue teams worked through Friday, using ropes, shovels, and makeshift bridges to search for survivors. Officials fear as many as 150 people may still be trapped.
The tragedy comes just over a week after similar floods and landslides devastated a village in Uttarakhand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation on Independence Day, said the country had been facing a series of natural disasters, including cloudbursts and landslides, in recent days.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the incident was likely triggered by a cloudburst — an intense downpour of over 100mm in an hour — which often causes flash floods and landslides in the Himalayan region during the monsoon season.
Witnesses described a roar followed by a torrent of water and mud, with some victims swept into the Chenab River and others buried under debris. Rescue teams worked through Friday, using ropes, shovels, and makeshift bridges to search for survivors. Officials fear as many as 150 people may still be trapped.
The tragedy comes just over a week after similar floods and landslides devastated a village in Uttarakhand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation on Independence Day, said the country had been facing a series of natural disasters, including cloudbursts and landslides, in recent days.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the incident was likely triggered by a cloudburst — an intense downpour of over 100mm in an hour — which often causes flash floods and landslides in the Himalayan region during the monsoon season.
