Deadly Flash Floods Strike Kashmir Pilgrimage Route
At least 56 people have died and 80 remain missing after catastrophic flash floods hit the mountainous Chasoti village in Indian-administered Kashmir. The disaster occurred when a cloudburst triggered sudden flooding and landslides along a popular pilgrimage route to the Machail Mata temple.
Rescue Efforts and Impact
Over 300 pilgrims were rescued from the debris, with 50 critically injured survivors hospitalized. The floods swept away a community kitchen where hundreds were having lunch. Rescue operations were suspended due to forecasts of further heavy rainfall, which could trigger additional landslides in the fragile Himalayan terrain.
Pilgrimage Route Vulnerability
Chasoti serves as a key rest stop on the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage to a high-altitude Hindu shrine. Climate scientists note this region faces increasing extreme weather risks, with cloudbursts becoming more frequent due to changing monsoon patterns and glacial melt in the Himalayas.