Sudden floods hit the town of Shasuti in the Kishtwar district of Indian Kashmir on Thursday evening, leaving at least 46 dead and more than 200 missing, according to local authorities. This is the second disaster in the Himalayas within less than two weeks, following a flood and landslide that destroyed an entire village in Uttarakhand. Ramesh Kumar, Commissioner of Kishtwar district, stated that the floods resulted from a cloudburst, a sudden rainfall exceeding 100 mm in one hour, causing floods and landslides. Police and relief teams, supported by the army and air force, began search and rescue operations despite difficult access due to bad weather. Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the news as painful and confirmed the slow arrival of verified information from the affected area.

Meanwhile, the meteorological office in Srinagar warned of continued heavy rains in Kashmir, urging residents to avoid unstable structures and old trees due to flood and landslide risks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, confirming monitoring of the situation and support for those affected. The Indian Kashmir region, with its rugged mountains and location in the Himalayas, is prone to natural disasters such as floods and landslides, especially during the monsoon season from June to September.