A catastrophic flash flood and landslide struck the village of Chasoti in Indian-occupied Kashmir on Thursday, killing at least 60 people and leaving more than 100 missing, according to officials and local media.

The disaster hit a group of pilgrims traveling to the Machail Mata shrine, a revered Himalayan temple dedicated to Goddess Durga.

The torrential rains triggered massive mudslides and floodwaters that swept through the area, engulfing pilgrims who had paused for lunch before their trek to the high-altitude shrine. Survivor Rakesh Sharma described the chaos: “We heard a huge sound, followed by a flash flood and slush. People were shouting; some fell into the Chenab River, others were buried under debris.

”Rescue operations continued into Friday, with emergency teams using ropes, shovels, and makeshift bridges to search for survivors and recover bodies amid mud-caked belongings and snapped electric poles. One rescue worker told ANI news agency that an additional 100-150 people might still be trapped under the debris.

Chasoti, the last motorable point before the Machail Mata shrine, is a key stop for the annual Machail Yatra pilgrimage, which draws thousands to the remote Himalayan ranges. The tragedy follows a similar disaster in Uttarakhand last week, where a flood and mudslide obliterated an entire village.

Experts attribute the rising frequency and intensity of such disasters to the monsoon season, worsened by climate change. The Indian Meteorological Department noted that Thursday’s devastation likely stemmed from a cloudburst, defined as over 100 mm of rain in an hour, a phenomenon notorious for triggering flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.

Rescue efforts are ongoing as authorities brace for the possibility of a rising death toll. (ILKHA)