At least 16 dead, scores missing as flash floods hit Himachal, J&K and Ladakh

At least 16 people have died and scores are missing after heavy monsoon rain triggered flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh on Wednesday.

In Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar, a cloudburst hit a remote village, leaving seven people dead and 17 others injured. 19 houses, 21 cowsheds and a ration depot situated on the banks of a stream, besides a bridge were damaged in the cloudburst. A search and rescue operation by police, Army and State Disaster Response Force is underway to locate over 14 people who are still missing.

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In Himachal Pradesh’s Lahual-Spiti, two tents of labourers and a private backhoe were washed away in the flash floods on Tuesday late evening. 12 labourers were washed away in those flash floods and of them, seven bodies were recovered, while two were rescued with injuries and three are still missing.

Two men have also died in Himachal’s Chamba district due to flash floods. Besides four people, including a woman, her son, a hydro project official and a Delhi tourist are feared dead in Kullu district.

In Ladakh, two cloudbursts hit different areas of Kargil, causing damage to a mini power project, nearly a dozen residential houses and standing crops. However no loss of life was reported in the cloudbursts, which struck Sangra and Khangral on Tuesday evening.