At least 13 die in Kashmir floods during pilgrimage

At least 13 people were killed when sudden rains triggered flash floods during an annual Hindu pilgrimage to an icy Himalayan cave in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

Officials said in addition to the deaths, at least three dozen people were missing while an unspecified number of injured devotees were airlifted to hospitals for treatment.

An estimated 10,000 people were in the mountains when the rains struck. The region's disaster management department said emergency workers were searching for missing people despite inclement weather.

This year, officials expect nearly 1 million visitors after a two-year gap in the annual endeavor due to the corona virus pandemic.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the deaths and said in a tweet that "all possible assistance is being provided to the affected."