Leh cloudburst: 50 feared dead, rescue efforts on

Leh, Aug 6: As many as 50 people are feared dead in the Leh cloudbursts and over 250 people injured. 44 bodies have been found so far and rescue operations are underway.

A series of cloudbursts hit the Himalayan town of Leh over the night on Thursday, Aug 6. 2 cm of rain is learnt to have poured down within minutes leading to flash floods.

14 bodies were recovered as of Friday, Aug 6 morning and death toll was expected to rise.

All communication lines have been destroyed and the airport is flooded causing massive hurdles to the ongoing rescue and relief operations.

6,000 troops have been deployed for rescue efforts in the calamity-torn regions.

A cloudburst is an extreme form of rainfall. The downpour is always voluminous and leads to flash floods. The cloudburst rainfall is sometimes mixed with hail and thunder. It does not last for more than a few minutes but is capable of causing great damage.

OneIndia News