India cloudburst: Flash floods kill 10 at Kashmir pilgrimage site

Ten people died and several were missing Friday after flash floods triggered by a sudden cloudburst struck a camp near a popular shrine in Kashmir.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the country trek up through Himalayan passes each year to visit the Amarnath shrine, located at an altitude of 3,900 metres (12,800 feet).

At least 10,000 people were assembled near the site when the rains struck, officials said.

Police in Kashmir said 10 deaths had been confirmed and that injured pilgrims had been airlifted to hospital.

Around two dozen tents and three large kitchens that serve free food to the pilgrims were washed away in the deluge, an official from the local disaster management agency told AFP.

"Several are missing and a huge rescue operation is underway," the official added.

The pilgrimage to the shrine is being held for the first time since 2019 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 1996, 243 pilgrims died while travelling the arduous, days-long journey to the shrine when snowstorms hit the area.

Meanwhile, Union Home minister Amit Shah took note of the situation and said saving the lives of people was priority.