A sudden and intense burst of rain has triggered deadly flash floods in India-administered Kashmir, killing at least 46 people and leaving more than 200 missing in the town of Chashoti, a major stop for Hindu pilgrims heading to the Machail Mata shrine in the Himalayas.
The downpour, which authorities say was caused by a “cloudburst”, more than 100 mm of rain in an hour – turned streets into violent rivers, destroyed buildings, and swept away vehicles. Videos on social media show walls of water, mud, and debris roaring down the mountainsides.
Rescue operations are in full swing. Army, police, air force, and disaster response teams are combing the area for survivors, while the injured are being taken to hospitals. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said “all possible resources” are being mobilized and cancelled planned Independence Day events in light of the tragedy.
The floods hit a community kitchen and security post along the pilgrimage route, washing away many people who had stopped for lunch. Chashoti is the last motorable point before the high-altitude trek to the shrine, dedicated to the goddess Durga.
The disaster struck at 11:30 a.m. local time on Thursday. Officials say the priority is rescuing the missing, but the scale of destruction means the death toll is likely to rise.
It is the second recent extreme weather disaster in the Himalayas – earlier this month, floods in Uttarakhand killed at least four people, highlighting the region’s growing vulnerability to sudden, climate-driven weather events.
