SRINAGAR, INDIA — A devastating cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district triggered flash floods that have claimed at least 60 lives and left more than 100 people injured, according to the Press Trust of India. Authorities fear the toll could rise as dozens remain trapped under mud, rocks, and collapsed houses across the mountainous terrain.
Search and rescue operations, led by local police, disaster response teams, and army personnel, are in full swing about 200 kilometers from Srinagar, the summer capital of the region. However, the scale of damage, combined with difficult terrain and ongoing heavy rainfall, has slowed progress.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on X (formerly Twitter) on Independence Day, August 15, that he would personally review rescue operations in Kishtwar and assess additional assistance needed. He also appealed to residents in vulnerable areas to remain cautious, warning that more rain was forecast in the coming weeks.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted above-normal rainfall during the June-September monsoon season, raising concerns of further cloudbursts and flash floods. Mountainous and hilly regions, particularly in northern states including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, have been the hardest hit in recent months.
Just a week earlier, flash floods in Uttarakhand swept away an entire village. The disaster left dozens of families homeless and underscored the worsening impact of extreme weather events in India.
In his Independence Day address on August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed solidarity with families affected by recent natural disasters. “Nature is testing us all,” he said, assuring that federal and state governments are coordinating relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Authorities in Kishtwar have set up temporary shelters for displaced families, while medical teams are working to aid the injured. But officials warn that with more heavy rain expected, the risk of landslides and fresh flooding remains high.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the growing vulnerability of Himalayan states to climate-driven weather extremes. Experts believe this has raised urgent calls for stronger disaster preparedness and sustainable infrastructure development.