Dozens feared dead in Kashmir flash floods
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Al Jazeera
20 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Rescuers search for missing after devastating Kashmir cloudburst
Published On 15 Aug 2025 15 Aug 2025 Rescuers scoured debris in a remote village in Indian-administered Kashmir searching for missing residents on Friday after devastating flash floods triggered by the previous day's torrential downpour killed at least 60 people, according to officials. Teams of disaster management officials, police and soldiers, aided by local villagers, combed through the devastated Himalayan village of Chositi on Friday. Rescue operations paused overnight after successfully evacuating at least 300 people on Thursday following a powerful cloudburst that triggered devastating floods and landslides. Officials reported that many missing persons were likely swept away by floodwaters. Additional rescue teams were en route to bolster relief efforts. At least 50 severely injured individuals received treatment in local hospitals after being rescued from a stream filled with mud and debris. Disaster management official Mohammed Irshad warned that the number of missing people could rise. Meteorologists have predicted more heavy rainfall and flooding for the region. Chositi, a remote village in Kashmir's Kishtwar district, serves as the last vehicle-accessible point for an annual Hindu pilgrimage to a mountainous shrine situated at 3,000 metres (9,500 feet) elevation, approximately 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the village. The pilgrimage, which began July 25 and was scheduled to continue until September 5, has been suspended. The floods destroyed the main community kitchen established for pilgrims, along with dozens of vehicles and motorcycles. More than 200 pilgrims were in the kitchen when the flood struck, which also damaged or washed away numerous homes clustered in the foothills. Images and videos shared on social media reveal extensive destruction, with household belongings scattered among damaged vehicles and homes throughout the village. Authorities have constructed makeshift bridges to help stranded pilgrims cross muddy water channels. Cloudbursts – sudden, intense downpours over small areas – have become increasingly frequent in India's Himalayan regions, which are vulnerable to flash floods and landslides. These events can cause devastating flooding and landslides, affecting thousands in mountainous areas. Experts attribute the increased frequency of cloudbursts partly to climate change, while noting that unplanned development in mountain regions has amplified the resulting damage. Kishtwar district hosts multiple hydroelectric power projects, which experts have consistently warned endanger the region's delicate ecosystem.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
Dozens feared dead in Kashmir flash floods
Dozens feared dead in Kashmir flash floods NewsFeed Video Duration 02 minutes 46 seconds 02:46 Video Duration 01 minutes 18 seconds 01:18 Video Duration 03 minutes 30 seconds 03:30 Video Duration 00 minutes 46 seconds 00:46 Video Duration 01 minutes 37 seconds 01:37 Video Duration 00 minutes 59 seconds 00:59 Video Duration 01 minutes 44 seconds 01:44
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
At least 37 killed after torrential rains trigger flash floods in Kashmir
At least 37 people have been killed after a sudden cloudburst unleashed torrential rain in Indian-administered Kashmir, a disaster management official said, marking the second major disaster in the Himalayas in just over a week. The deluge struck Chisoti, a town in Kishtwar district, on Thursday morning. The site serves as a key stop along the pilgrimage route to the Machail Mata temple, a revered Himalayan shrine dedicated to Goddess Durga. Television footage showed terrified pilgrims crying as water surged through the settlement. Omar Abdullah, chief minister of the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, described the situation as 'grim' and said confirmed details were slow to emerge from the remote location. Mohammed Irshad said rescue teams scouring the devastated Himalayan village of Chositi brought at least 100 people to safety. 'Dead bodies of 37 people have been recovered,' said Irshad, a top disaster management official, adding there was no count of any missing people available. According to Ramesh Kumar, divisional commissioner of Kishtwar, the cloudburst hit at about 11:30am local time. He told ANI news agency that police and disaster response teams were on the ground, while army and air force units had also been mobilised. 'Search and rescue operations are under way,' Kumar said. An official, who asked not to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media, said the flood swept away a community kitchen and a security post set up to serve pilgrims. 'A large number of pilgrims had gathered for lunch and they were washed away,' the official told the news agency Reuters. The India Meteorological Department defines a cloudburst as a sudden, extreme downpour exceeding 100mm of rain in an hour, often triggering flash floods and landslides in mountainous regions during the monsoon. Last week, a similar disaster in Uttarakhand, another Himalayan state, buried an entire village under mud and debris after heavy rains. The Srinagar weather office has warned of further intense rainfall in several parts of Kashmir, including Kishtwar, and urged residents to avoid unstable structures, power lines and old trees due to the risk of fresh landslides and flash floods.
