Israelis stranded in Indian floods rescued
After spending hours in camping site in Ladakh region, disconnected following heavy rain, 30 Israeli hikers transferred to local military base. Flash floods kill 103 in Indian-held Kashmir
A sudden downpour and flash floods swept away houses and killed at least 103 people in Indian-controlled Kashmir's normally arid, mountainous region of Ladakh, officials said Friday.
At least 370 people were injured, and troops were pulling survivors from knee-deep mud and rubble Friday in the popular Himalayan tourist destination. The deluge came as neighboring Pakistan suffered from the worst flooding in decades, with millions displaced and 1,500 dead.
Thirty Israeli tourists who were stranded in a camping site in the Ladakh region along with a big group of European tourists were rescued in the afternoon hours with the help of the Indian army and the Israeli Embassy in Delhi, the Foreign Ministry reported.
According to the report, the tourists were transferred to a local Indian military base in the area and the Foreign Ministry was checking whether additional Israelis were stranded in the area.
The airport in Leh, the main town in Ladakh, was damaged, most communications were cut and rescue efforts were being hampered by gushing water and debris, state police chief Kuldeep Khoda said.
It was still unclear how many people have been left homeless, but Khoda said at least 2,000 displaced people had been housed in two government-run shelters.
"Mud and water is everywhere," said Kashmiri businessman Kausar Makhdoomi, who was on holiday in Leh.
Makhdoomi said the rainfall started before midnight and that water later started coursing down mountains. The flooding had damaged several homes and other buildings by Friday morning, he said.
"There was utter confusion and people started to panic," he said.
Ladakh, about 280 miles (450 kilometers) east of Srinagar, is a popular destination for Western tourists, particularly hikers, mountaineers and adventure sports enthusiasts. August is peak season with thousands flocking to the area.
Following the floods, the Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory warning Israelis to avoid visiting the Ladakh region.
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