India, Aug. 15 -- At least 38 people were killed, and several others remain missing after torrential rain triggered a flash flood in a remote village in Jammu & Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday, sweeping away a community kitchen and multiple structures along the route of an annual pilgrimage, officials said.

The flash flood, which struck around 12.30pm, sent a barrage of boulders, debris, and mud barrelling through Chishoti village, where a large number of devotees had gathered for the pilgrimage to the Chandi Mata temple inMachail village.

Located around 80km from the Kishtwar district headquarters, Chishoti is the last motorable village on the way to the temple and serves as the point where the devotees start the 8.5-kilometre ...