India Floods: 33 Indian soldiers among 145 killed in Leh flash floods

Source: New Delhi Chronicle

8 August, 2010 - New Delhi: Thirty-three Indian soldiers including three (JCOs), manning a post in Turtok along the Line of Control, were washed away in flash floods in Ladakh near Siachen on Friday. Almost three days have passed yet they remained untraced.

Sources in New Delhi said that the Army has now sought the help of Pakistani authorities to rescue the 33 personnel of 15-Bihar Regiment as it fears that they may have been swept away towards Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the devastating flood caused by Shyok river.

Leh was hit by devastating cloudburst and flash flood late on Thursday night that left 145 people dead and over 500 missing. With no trace of missing people yet it is feared that the death toll may be much higher.

Both north India and north Pakistan are witnessing one of the worst floods of the recent time leading to the death of several hundreds people. In Pakistan the toll is around 2,000.

Read more: http://www.ndchronicle.com/news/33_Indian_soldiers_among_145_killed_in_Leh_flash_floods_1281281015/

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Two French Nationals Among 145 Dead in Leh
LEH | AUG 08, 2010

Two French nationals were killed in Friday's devastating cloudburst in Leh while efforts were on to rescue 174 foreign tourists stranded at various places in the district.

The bodies of two French nationals identified as Augariwelus and Hellot-- were extricated from the debris, an ITBP official said. These are the first foreign casualties in the tragedy that had left 145 people dead while over 500 others were missing.

An injured Spanish tourist was evacuated by an army helicopter from Egu belt to Leh.

There are 174 foreigners stranded at various places which are at present cut-off, an army official said.

While 76 foreign tourists are stranded at Pang belt, about 90 are in Lamayaru belt and eight in Darchiks belt in Leh district.

Full article: http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?689797

Srinagar, Aug 8 , DHNS:

The armed forces continued relentless rescue and relief operations in Leh and adjoining areas for the third consecutive day on Sunday even as the death toll in the Thursday night’s calamity rose to 150.

Authorities said the toll might go up further as over 200 people are still missing after cloudbursts triggered flash floods and landslides in the region. Over 400 people were injured in the calamity.

Among those missing are 31 jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police whose camp was washed away. The search for the dead and injured has now spread to the remote areas of Leh.

Leh was cut off from the rest of the country after several roads and bridges were washed away. Even the BSNL headquarters was damaged smashing its operations.

Several villages along the Chang La pass have been completely washed away. Twenty-eight soldiers died after the Indian Army post on the border, Tyakshi, was hit by flash floods.

Full article: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/86998/leh-calamity-toll-climbs-150.html