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Business Recorder
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Business Recorder
Indian rescuers scour debris after 60 killed in flood
SRINAGAR: Indian rescue teams on Friday dug through mud searching for victims, a day after the latest deadly flood to crash through a Himalayan village killed at least 60 people. Dozens more are missing, including Hindu pilgrims who were visiting a shrine, after torrents of water and mud driven by intense rain tore through the village in Kishtwar district in Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). It is the second major deadly flooding disaster in India this month. Officials said a large makeshift kitchen in Chisoti village, where more than 100 pilgrims were completely washed away by what Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reported was a sudden 'cloudburst' rain storm. Heavy earthmovers were brought to the disaster area overnight to dig through deep mud, huge boulders and rubble that the flood brought down the mountainside. The army's White Knight Corps said its troops, 'braving the harsh weather and rugged terrain, are engaged in evacuation of injured'. Emergency kit including ropes and digging tools were being brought to the disaster site, with the army supporting other rescue teams. One survivor told the Press Trust of India news agency that he had heard a 'big blast' when the wall of water hit the settlement. 'We thought it was an earthquake', the shocked eyewitness said, who did not give his name. Mohammad Irshad, a top disaster management official, told AFP on Friday that '60 people are recorded dead', with 80 people unaccounted for. At least 23 killed as torrential rains wreak havoc in AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, KP 'The search for the missing has intensified', Irshad told AFP. Around 50 severely injured people have been taken to hospitals. Floods and landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season, but experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing their frequency, severity and impact. Floods on August 5 overwhelmed the Himalayan town of Dharali in India's Uttarakhand state and buried it in mud. The likely death toll from that disaster is more than 70 but has yet to be confirmed. The UN's World Meteorological Organization said last year that increasingly intense floods and droughts are a 'distress signal' of what is to come as climate change makes the planet's water cycle ever more unpredictable. Roads had already been damaged by days of heavy storms. The area lies more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) by road from the region's main city Srinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the spate of disasters in his Independence Day speech in New Delhi on Friday. 'In the past few days, we have been facing natural disasters, landslides, cloudbursts, and many other calamities', Modi said in his public address. 'Our sympathies are with the affected people. State governments and the central government are working together with full strength.'

Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Indian rescuers scour debris after 60 killed in flood
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A view of an area affected by the deadly floods in Chasoti town of Kishtwar district, Indian Kashmir, on Aug 15. Srinagar, India - Indian rescue teams on Aug 15 dug through mud searching for victims, a day after the latest deadly flood to crash through a Himalayan village killed at least 60 people. Dozens more are missing, including Hindu pilgrims who were visiting a shrine, after torrents of water and mud driven by intense rain tore through the village in Kishtwar district in Indian-administered Kashmir. It is the second major deadly flooding disaster in India in August. Officials said a large makeshift kitchen in Chisoti village, where more than 100 pilgrims were completely washed away by what Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reported was a sudden 'cloudburst' rain storm. Heavy earthmovers were brought to the disaster area overnight to dig through deep mud, huge boulders and rubble that the flood brought down the mountainside. The army's White Knight Corps said its troops, 'braving the harsh weather and rugged terrain, are engaged in evacuation of injured'. Emergency kit including ropes and digging tools were being brought to the disaster site, with the army supporting other rescue teams. One survivor told the Press Trust of India news agency that he had heard a 'big blast' when the wall of water hit the settlement. 'We thought it was an earthquake', the shocked eyewitness said, who did not give his name. Mr Mohammad Irshad, a top disaster management official, told AFP on Aug 15 that '60 people are recorded dead', with 80 people unaccounted for. 'The search for the missing has intensified', Irshad told AFP. Around 50 severely injured people have been taken to hospitals. Floods and landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season, but experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing their frequency, severity and impact. Floods on Aug 5 overwhelmed the Himalayan town of Dharali in India's Uttarakhand state and buried it in mud. The likely death toll from that disaster is more than 70 but has yet to be confirmed. The UN's World Meteorological Organization said in 2024 that increasingly intense floods and droughts are a 'distress signal' of what is to come as climate change makes the planet's water cycle ever more unpredictable. Roads had already been damaged by days of heavy storms. The area lies more than 200km by road from the region's main city Srinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the spate of disasters in his Independence Day speech in New Delhi on Aug 15. 'In the past few days, we have been facing natural disasters, landslides, cloudbursts, and many other calamities', he said in his public address. 'Our sympathies are with the affected people. State governments and the central government are working together with full strength.' AFP


eNCA
12 hours ago
- Climate
- eNCA
Indian rescuers scour debris after 60 killed in flood
INDIA - Indian rescue teams on Friday dug through mud searching for victims, a day after the latest deadly flood to crash through a Himalayan village killed at least 60 people. Dozens more are missing, including Hindu pilgrims who were visiting a shrine, after torrents of water and mud driven by intense rain tore through the village in Kishtwar district in Indian-administered Kashmir. It is the second major deadly flooding disaster in India this month. Officials said a large makeshift kitchen in Chisoti village, where more than 100 pilgrims were completely washed away by what Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reported was a sudden "cloudburst" rain storm. Heavy earthmovers were brought to the disaster area overnight to dig through deep mud, huge boulders and rubble that the flood brought down the mountainside. The army's White Knight Corps said its troops, "braving the harsh weather and rugged terrain, are engaged in evacuation of injured". Emergency kit including ropes and digging tools were being brought to the disaster site, with the army supporting other rescue teams. One survivor told the Press Trust of India news agency that he had heard a "big blast" when the wall of water hit the settlement. "We thought it was an earthquake", the shocked eyewitness said, who did not give his name. Mohammad Irshad, a top disaster management official, told AFP on Friday that "60 people are recorded dead", with 80 people unaccounted for. "The search for the missing has intensified", Irshad told AFP. Around 50 severely injured people have been taken to hospitals. Floods and landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season, but experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing their frequency, severity and impact. AFP | Imran Shah Floods on August 5 overwhelmed the Himalayan town of Dharali in India's Uttarakhand state and buried it in mud. The likely death toll from that disaster is more than 70 but has yet to be confirmed. The UN's World Meteorological Organization said last year that increasingly intense floods and droughts are a "distress signal" of what is to come as climate change makes the planet's water cycle ever more unpredictable. Roads had already been damaged by days of heavy storms. The area lies more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) by road from the region's main city Srinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the spate of disasters in his Independence Day speech in New Delhi on Friday. "In the past few days, we have been facing natural disasters, landslides, cloudbursts, and many other calamities", Modi said in his public address. "Our sympathies are with the affected people. State governments and the central government are working together with full strength."


NZ Herald
12 hours ago
- Climate
- NZ Herald
Indian floods: 60 dead, dozens missing after Kashmir cloudburst
The army's White Knight Corps said its troops, 'braving the harsh weather and rugged terrain, are engaged in evacuation of injured'. Emergency kit including ropes and digging tools were being brought to the disaster site, with the army supporting other rescue teams. One survivor told the Press Trust of India news agency that he had heard a 'big blast' when the wall of water hit the settlement. 'We thought it was an earthquake,' said the shocked witness, who did not give his name. Mohammad Irshad, a top disaster management official, told AFP on Friday that '60 people are recorded dead', with 80 people unaccounted for. 'The search for the missing has intensified', Irshad told AFP. Around 50 severely injured people have been taken to hospitals. Floods and landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season, but experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing their frequency, severity and impact. Floods on August 5 overwhelmed the Himalayan town of Dharali in India's Uttarakhand state and buried it in mud. The likely death toll from that disaster is more than 70 but has yet to be confirmed. The UN's World Meteorological Organisation said last year that increasingly intense floods and droughts are a 'distress signal' of what is to come as climate change makes the planet's water cycle ever more unpredictable. Roads had already been damaged by days of heavy storms. The area lies more than 200km by road from the region's main city, Srinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the spate of disasters in his Independence Day speech in New Delhi on Friday. 'In the past few days, we have been facing natural disasters, landslides, cloudbursts, and many other calamities', Modi said in his public address. 'Our sympathies are with the affected people. State governments and the central government are working together with full strength.' -Agence France-Presse


Int'l Business Times
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Int'l Business Times
Indian Rescuers Scour Debris After 60 Killed In Flood
Indian rescue teams on Friday dug through mud searching for victims, a day after the latest deadly flood to crash through a Himalayan village killed at least 60 people. Dozens more are missing, including Hindu pilgrims who were visiting a shrine, after torrents of water and mud driven by intense rain tore through the village in Kishtwar district in Indian-administered Kashmir. It is the second major deadly flooding disaster in India this month. Officials said a large makeshift kitchen in Chisoti village, where more than 100 pilgrims were completely washed away by what Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reported was a sudden "cloudburst" rain storm. Heavy earthmovers were brought to the disaster area overnight to dig through deep mud, huge boulders and rubble that the flood brought down the mountainside. The army's White Knight Corps said its troops, "braving the harsh weather and rugged terrain, are engaged in evacuation of injured". Emergency kit including ropes and digging tools were being brought to the disaster site, with the army supporting other rescue teams. One survivor told the Press Trust of India news agency that he had heard a "big blast" when the wall of water hit the settlement. "We thought it was an earthquake", the shocked eyewitness said, who did not give his name. Mohammad Irshad, a top disaster management official, told AFP on Friday that "60 people are recorded dead", with 80 people unaccounted for. "The search for the missing has intensified", Irshad told AFP. Around 50 severely injured people have been taken to hospitals. Floods and landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season, but experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing their frequency, severity and impact. Floods on August 5 overwhelmed the Himalayan town of Dharali in India's Uttarakhand state and buried it in mud. The likely death toll from that disaster is more than 70 but has yet to be confirmed. The UN's World Meteorological Organization said last year that increasingly intense floods and droughts are a "distress signal" of what is to come as climate change makes the planet's water cycle ever more unpredictable. Roads had already been damaged by days of heavy storms. The area lies more than 200 kilometres (125 miles) by road from the region's main city Srinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the spate of disasters in his Independence Day speech in New Delhi on Friday. "In the past few days, we have been facing natural disasters, landslides, cloudbursts, and many other calamities", Modi said in his public address. "Our sympathies are with the affected people. State governments and the central government are working together with full strength." An injured person is carried to a hospital after torrents of water slammed into a Himalayan mountain village in Indian-administered Kashmir AFP Rescuers inspect the site of a flash flood that has killed at least 60 AFP