A sudden burst of heavy rain has claimed dozens of lives in India-administered Kashmir and sparked frantic rescue efforts, the second recent disaster to underscore the vulnerability of those living in the Himalayas to the effects of extreme weather.
At least 46 people have died and more than 200 are missing in the town of Chashoti, a popular pilgrimage destination for Hindu tourists, Reuters reported citing local officials.
Flash floods caused by the rain turned roads into raging rivers while the downpour devastated entire buildings and swept away vehicles, dramatic video shared on social media showed.
A wall of water, mud and debris could be seen rolling down the mountainside, one of the videos showed.
Rescue operations are ongoing with army and police personnel working to find those missing.
“The news is grim & accurate,” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote in a social media post. “All possible resources are being mobilised from within & beyond J&K to manage the rescue operations.”
Some of the rescued people have been taken to hospitals.
India’s Meteorological Department said the rainfall was due to a “cloudburst,” which is a sudden and heavy downpour of over 100 mm (4 inches) of rain in just one hour. It can trigger sudden floods, landslides, and devastation, especially in mountainous regions during the monsoon.
Earlier this month, another surge of flood water tore through a mountainous village in the Himalayas in India’s northern Uttarakhand state, leaving at least four people dead.
Abdullah said he has cancelled some events that had been planned to celebrate the anniversary of India’s independence from Britain on Friday.
Thursday’s floods washed away a community kitchen and security post at a pit stop along the pilgrimage route, Reuters reported citing a local official who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
“A large number of pilgrims had gathered for lunch and they were washed away,” the official said.
The Machail yatra is a popular pilgrimage to the high altitude Himalayan shrine of Machail Mata, one of the manifestations of Goddess Durga, and pilgrims trek to the temple from Chasoti, where the road for vehicles ends.
The disaster occurred at 11:30am local time, Ramesh Kumar, the divisional commissioner of Kishtwar district, told news agency ANI, adding that local police and disaster response officials had reached the scene.
“Army, air force teams have also been activated. Search and rescue operations are underway,” Kumar said.
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