KISHTWAR: Rescuers pulled bodies from mud and rubble after the latest deadly flood to crash through a Himalayan village killed 60 people and washed away many more in India-occupied Kashmir on Thursday night.
Torrents of water and mud driven by intense rain tore through Chisoti village, leaving many people missing, including Hindu pilgrims who were visiting a shrine.
Officials said a large makeshift kitchen in Chisoti, where more than 100 pilgrims were staying, was completely washed away by what the occupied state’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reported was a sudden “cloudburst” rain storm.
Arun Shah, 35, had just completed his pilgrimage with his family when the flood struck.
“It was horrifying”, he said, speaking by telephone from a hospital in Kishtwar district, where Chisoti is located.
“Boulders and a rush of water came down from the mountain. We all got separated while trying to save ourselves,” he said.
Kotwal, who heads a hospital, said more than 100 people were brought in after the disaster.
“Most of the injured had head injuries, fractured bones and ribs,” Kotwal said, adding that “bodies are still being retrieved from under the mud and rubble”.
Heavy earthmovers were brought to the disaster area to dig through deep mud.
The Indian army’s White Knight Corps said its troops, “braving the harsh weather and rugged terrain, are engaged in evacuation of injured”.
Emergency supplies, including ropes and digging tools, were being brought to the disaster site, with the army supporting other rescue teams.
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.
Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2025