India, Aug. 14 -- Torrential rain struck a remote Himalayan mountain village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday, killing at least 37 people and injuring many more, officials said.

The disaster, reportedly triggered by a cloudburst, took place in Chasoti village by the banks of Chishoti Nullah (a rivulet), a stopover point on a popular pilgrimage route to Mata Machail temple in Padder area. The pilgrimage began on July 25, and over 130,000 pilgrims have already paid obeisance at the shrine.

A police officer said a cloudburst in Chishoti Nullah triggered massive flash floods around noon on Thursday. "The deluge hit a community kitchen set up for the pilgrims where 100 to 150 pilgrims were having food," the officer said....