Leh Flash Floods: 137 Killed, Over 500 Injured

A day after devastating flash floods hit Leh town and adjoining areas, 137 bodies have been pulled out and nearly 600 people continue to remain missing as rescue workers struggled to reach affected areas that have been completely cut off.

Photo: Leh Flash Floods: 137 Killed, Over 500 Injured

Leh Flash Floods: 137 Killed, Over 500 Injured

Roads and bridges to far-flung areas have either been washed away or severely damaged. The death toll is expected to rise as bodies are being pulled out of the rubble.

The heavy carpet of mud and slush that has settled over buildings were painstakingly being removed during the day. The magnitude of this natural calamity was ominous, authorities said, according to Indian Express.

Reports said a number of people were killed and many injured in a massive cloudburst on Thursday night. The flash floods, caused by a cloudburst, have transformed the picturesque landscape of Leh into a virtual disaster zone with buildings, houses and schools completely destroyed.

The cloudburst triggered torrential rains, mudslides and flash floods. A number of homes were completely destroyed and over 500 injured people were taken to Army hospital where floods destroyed entire wards, NDTV.com reports.