56 dead as Kashmir cloudburst triggers flash floods

Dubai: At least 56 people have been killed and dozens more remain missing after a massive cloudburst caused a flash flood in the Chashoti village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district this afternoon.

It is the second major deadly flooding disaster in India this month.

"The news is grim," Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a statement, reporting a "cloudburst" of intense rain that had hit the Kishtwar district.

Crowds gathered at a Kishtwar hospital while people carried some of the injured on stretchers.

"Death toll has increased to 56," a top disaster management official Mohammad Irshad told AFP, adding "some people are missing but we can't say how many."

Irshad said 150 wounded people were also rescued from the disaster site, "50 of whom are severely injured". All were sent to nearby hospitals.

Sushil Kumar, a resident of nearby Atholi village, told AFP: "I saw at least 15 dead bodies brought to the local hospital."

Pankaj Kumar Sharma, district commissioner of Kishtwar, said earlier that "there are chances of more dead bodies being found".

What's cloudburst?

In short, a cloudburst is not just heavy rain — it’s an extremely intense, localised downpour that can cause immediate and severe flooding.

In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, continuous heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has caused fresh damage across multiple districts. Education Minister Rohit Thakur said while no major casualties were reported overnight, road networks suffered significant losses. Cloudburst incidents were confirmed in Rampur constituency.

With apple harvest season underway, the Public Works Department has been tasked with prioritising road restoration. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rain until August 17, with monsoon withdrawal still over a month away. Thakur said local administrations can order school closures where conditions are severe.

Late Wednesday, the Indian Army carried out a night rescue in Kinnaur district after a cloudburst in the Rishi Dogri Valley sent flash floods into Hojis Lungpa Nala. Four civilians were stranded on the far bank of the Sutlej River. Braving fast currents and unstable terrain, the Army used high-altitude logistics drones to send food and water, later evacuating the injured to hospital.

Elsewhere in the state, flash floods in Bhimdwari, Kullu district, swept away houses and vehicles, while floodwater entered Triling village in Lahaul-Spiti after a separate cloudburst. The National Highway 3 was closed to traffic.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority, 323 roads, 70 power transformers, and 130 water schemes remain disrupted. Since June 20, Himachal Pradesh has recorded 241 deaths, including 126 linked to rain-related disasters.

In the National Capital Region, heavy showers lashed parts of Delhi, including Lajpat Nagar, RK Puram, and Lodhi Road, early Thursday. Earlier in the week, rainfall caused waterlogging at several key junctions. The IMD has forecast thunderstorms and rain, with temperatures ranging from 25°C to 34°C.

In Uttar Pradesh, the Lucknow District Magistrate ordered all schools closed on Thursday due to heavy rain and waterlogging. Similar closures were announced earlier this month for younger classes. The order applies to all boards in urban and rural areas.

In Telangana, authorities declared a half-day holiday on August 13 and 14 for all schools in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area following forecasts of very heavy rain.

Authorities across affected states have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in landslide-prone and low-lying areas, until weather conditions improve.