India floods claim at least 60 lives as rescue operations continue

Friday 15 August 2025 - 11:00

Rescue teams continued their search on Friday after devastating floods killed at least 60 people in a Himalayan village in Indian-administered Kashmir. Authorities reported that around 80 others remain missing.

Heavy rains triggered torrents of water and mud that swept through Chisoti village in Kishtwar district, approximately 200 km from Srinagar, the regional capital. Large machinery and military personnel have been mobilized to assist rescue efforts and dig through the debris.

Chisoti is located along a Hindu pilgrimage route leading to the Machail Mata shrine. A large makeshift kitchen, sheltering over a hundred pilgrims during the floods, was completely destroyed. The district hospital director, Yudhvir Kotwal, said more than 100 people had been admitted with injuries, including head trauma, broken bones, and fractured ribs. Bodies are still being recovered from mud and debris.

Witnesses described the scene as horrifying. Arun Shah, 35, had just completed his pilgrimage with his family when the floods struck. “Rocks and water came down the mountain. We were all separated,” he said.

This is the second major flood disaster in India this August. On August 5, floods in the Himalayan town of Dharali in Uttarakhand caused widespread mudslides, with an estimated death toll of over 70.

Experts warn that while floods and landslides are common during the monsoon season (June–September), climate change and poorly planned development are increasing their frequency and severity. The World Meteorological Organization has described these extreme events as a “wake-up call” due to increasingly unpredictable water cycles.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims, emphasizing that local and central governments are working together with all available resources.