LEH, India, Aug 9, 2010 (AFP) - The death toll from flash floods in India's remote Himalayan region of Ladakh reached 150 on Monday, with officials warning that hundreds of people were still missing. Sudden rains on Friday caused devastating floods that swept away roads, homes, bridges and power cables. Rescuers fear many more victims may have died after being buried in a tide of rock and mud. Thousands of Indian soldiers, police and paramilitary troops have led the relief operation, sifting through buried homes and treating the injured. "We now have 150 confirmed dead and over 400 injured," a police officer in Leh, the main town in Ladakh, told AFP. Many people are feared buried in the village of Choglamsar on the outskirts of Leh.
About 100 tourists stuck in the Zanskar valley were flown back to Leh by air force helicopters, army spokesman J.S. Brar told AFP in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir. He said the remote Zanskar valley had been cut off by the floods. "Our basic aim is to cater to the needs of injured and those who are displaced. We are doing our best," Brar said. Roads to Leh remained blocked due to landslides, and communication links were severely affected. Ladakh is a highly militarised area because of border disputes with both Pakistan and China. It is also renown for its Buddhist culture, and its mountains and rivers attract international adventure tourists. The floods came as neighbouring Pakistan suffered the worst flooding in its history with 15 million people affected and at least 1,600 people killed.
bur-iw/bgs/mtp