The mudslide engulfed Chositi village in the Kishtwar district of Indian-administered Kashmir around 1:30 a.m. on 14/8, following a sudden downpour. The village lies on a popular pilgrimage route to the renowned Machail Mata shrine in the Himalayas.

Images on social media showed the floodwaters surging through the village, sweeping away cars, destroying homes, and leaving roads submerged in thick mud.

Rescue teams and the army were immediately deployed to respond to the disaster, according to Ramesh Kumar, a Kishtwar district council member.

The scene after the flash flood in Kishtwar, Kashmir, India on 14/8. Photo: AFP

The scene after the flash flood in Kishtwar, Kashmir, India on 14/8. Photo: AFP

AFP, citing Mohammad Irshad, a senior Indian disaster management official, reported that at least 56 bodies had been recovered before rescue efforts were suspended overnight. Irshad added that around 80 people were reported missing and 300 were rescued, with about 50 seriously injured.

Reuters reported that the floodwaters swept away a community kitchen, a stop for pilgrims on their way to the Machail Mata shrine, along with several other houses in the village.

Local officials said that at the time of the flood, more than 100 pilgrims were staying at the community kitchen. The death toll is expected to rise, as many people are likely buried under the mud.

This is India's second major flooding disaster this month. A flood on 5/8 devastated the town of Dharali in Uttarakhand state, with the death toll potentially exceeding 70.

Thuy Lam (According to AFP, Reuters)