WEB DESK: A sudden and severe cloudburst triggered a flash flood in Indian Kashmir, leading to the tragic loss of at least 37 lives and leaving more than 200 people unaccounted for, officials report.
The calamity struck in the town of Chashoti, located in Kishtwar district, where a popular pilgrimage route passes through. The floodwaters swept away many pilgrims who were gathered at a rest stop along the route, which connects to the revered Machail Mata temple situated high in the Himalayan mountains.
This incident marks the second major Himalayan disaster within just over a week, following a recent flood and mudslide that devastated a village in Uttarakhand. The recent flood destroyed a community kitchen and security post in Chashoti, which serves as a key halting point for pilgrims heading to the Machail Mata shrine—dedicated to the Hindu goddess Durga.
According to officials, a large number of pilgrims had gathered for lunch when the floodwaters suddenly surged, overwhelming the area and washing away many individuals.
Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, acknowledged the gravity of the situation in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The news is grim, and verified information from the affected area is slow to come in due to the severity of the incident.”
Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities work to locate the missing and provide aid to those affected by the disaster
