At least 11 people have been killed and seven others remain missing after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides in Indian-controlled Kashmir, according to local media reports on Sunday.
The disaster affected the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, located southwest of Srinagar, the region’s summer capital, reports Xinhua.
Officials said persistent overnight rainfall caused rivers to overflow, inundating low-lying areas and forcing hundreds of residents to move to safer locations.
Floodwaters also submerged the newly built bus terminal at Bela Colony in Rajouri during the early hours of Sunday.
Several vehicles were either swept away by strong currents or left submerged after rivers burst their banks, causing extensive damage and disrupting transport services.
Authorities have launched a large-scale rescue operation, with multiple agencies working to locate the missing and evacuate people stranded in flood-hit areas. However, continuing rainfall and damaged roads have slowed the rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, weather officials have warned that moderate to heavy rainfall is expected across Indian-controlled Kashmir until 23 July, raising fears of further flooding and landslides.
