“India Flood Disaster Claims 60 Lives as Rescue Teams Race Against Time in Kashmir”

Indian rescue teams continued desperate search operations on Friday, digging through thick mud and debris after a devastating flood swept through a Himalayan village in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing at least 60 people.

The disaster struck Chisoti village in the Kishtwar district on Thursday, where a sudden cloudburst triggered flash floods that tore through the area, washing away over 100 Hindu pilgrims gathered at a makeshift kitchen near a shrine. Dozens remain missing, with rescue efforts focused on locating approximately 80 unaccounted individuals.

Rescue operations, led by the army’s White Knight Corps and disaster response teams, have been hampered by harsh weather and treacherous terrain. Earthmovers were deployed overnight to clear boulders and deep layers of mud. Emergency supplies and equipment, including ropes and digging tools, have been rushed to the scene. A survivor described the moment of impact to local media, likening the thunderous wall of water to an earthquake.

Mohammad Irshad, a senior disaster management official, confirmed the death toll to AFP and noted that around 50 severely injured victims have been hospitalized. This marks India’s second major flood tragedy this month, following the August 5 disaster in Uttarakhand’s Dharali town, where more than 70 people are feared dead.

Monsoon-related floods and landslides are common from June to September, but experts warn that climate change and unregulated development are worsening their frequency and intensity. The UN’s World Meteorological Organization recently described such extreme weather events as urgent signs of a destabilizing global water cycle.

Speaking in New Delhi during his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the recent spate of disasters, expressing solidarity with affected communities and affirming the coordinated response between state and central governments.