A catastrophic flash flood, triggered by a ferocious cloudburst, has left a trail of destruction across the remote Himalayan village of Chasoti in Indian-controlled Kashmir, claiming at least 56 lives and leaving dozens unaccounted for. The disaster struck with unrelenting force around 11:30 AM local time on Thursday, transforming a peaceful pilgrimage stop into a scene of unimaginable devastation.
Chasoti, the last vehicle-accessible point on the sacred route to the Machail Mata temple, was bustling with over 200 pilgrims gathered for lunch at the community kitchen when the deluge hit. Torrential rains, dumping over 100mm of water in a single hour, unleashed a merciless mudslide that swept away the kitchen, a security post, cars, and motorbikes. “A large number of pilgrims had gathered for lunch and they were washed away,” a local official told Reuters, painting a grim picture of the tragedy.
8 A building damaged in flash floods caused by torrential rains in Indian controlled KashmirCredit: AP
8 People evacuate a village following a deadly heavy rain in KishtwarCredit: Reuters
8 An injured person is being carried on a stretcher to a hospital from the site of a flashflood at a village in Kishtwar district
Initial reports estimate at least 80 people remain missing, with fears that many are trapped beneath layers of debris and mud. Rescue operations are in full swing, with army and air force teams mobilized to scour the wreckage. Around 200 survivors have been pulled to safety, but at least 50 are severely injured and receiving urgent care in nearby hospitals. Ramesh Kumar, the divisional commissioner of Kishtwar district, confirmed, “Search and rescue operations are underway, with every resource deployed to save lives.”
8 Homes and cars were all swept away by the muddy waters
8 At least 80 people are still reported missing
Eyewitness accounts describe a village reduced to chaos. Abdul Majeed Bichoo, a 75-year-old resident, recounted the horror of seeing eight bodies recovered from the mud. “Chasoti has become a sight of complete devastation from all sides,” he said. “It was heartbreaking and an unbearable sight. I have not seen this kind of destruction in my life.” Footage circulating online captures terrified pilgrims wading through rising waters as the flood surged, swallowing everything in its path.
The annual Machail Mata pilgrimage, which began in July and was set to conclude on September 5, has been suspended indefinitely as authorities grapple with the scale of the disaster. India’s deputy science and technology minister, Jitendra Singh, attributed the flooding to a cloudburst—a phenomenon increasingly common in the Himalayas, where sudden, intense downpours wreak havoc on vulnerable communities.
Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, took to X to share the grim reality: “Verified information from the area hit by the cloudburst is slow in arriving.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the nation that the situation is being closely monitored, offering prayers for those affected.
8 Flash floods killed at least 56 and left dozens missing in Indian-controlled KashmirCredit: AP
8 Rescuers inspect the site of a flashflood at a village in Kishtwar district
This tragedy follows closely on the heels of another deadly deluge in India’s Uttarakhand state, where an entire village was wiped out just over a week ago. The recurring nature of these disasters underscores the growing threat of extreme weather in the region.
Across the border in China, a parallel catastrophe has unfolded. Record-breaking floods in late July claimed at least 38 lives and displaced over 80,000 people. Northern China, including Beijing, faced what locals described as a “once-in-a-hundred-years” deluge. The Miyun district saw spillways at the Miyun Reservoir roar at unprecedented levels, while nearby Huairou and Fangshan districts were inundated. In Hebei province, a landslide triggered by the floods killed eight people near Chengde, with four still missing. Over 130 villages lost power, and in Tianjin, more than 10,000 residents were evacuated.
Heart-wrenching footage from China shows streets transformed into raging rivers, homes submerged in murky floodwaters, and uprooted trees piled high in devastated towns. On social media, residents of Xinglong county posted desperate pleas for information about loved ones lost in the chaos. President Xi Jinping has urged officials to brace for “worst-case scenarios” and prioritize the relocation of those in danger zones. The Chinese government has allocated 350 million yuan (£42m) for disaster relief across nine affected regions, with an additional 200 million yuan dedicated to Beijing.