SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir

The death toll due to the massive cloudburst in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir climbed to 33, and dozens of others remain missing on Thursday, according to local broadcaster India Today.   

The cloudburst struck the Chositi village near Machail Mata Shrine in the Padder Tashoti area of the Kishtwar district, triggering flash floods that swept a langar -- a community kitchen. 

Dozens of people have been injured, while Anadolu could not independently verify the number of casualties. 

Top district official Pankaj Kumar Sharma had told Anadolu that the casualties could rise as authorities were assessing the situation on the ground.

It is believed that at least 26 people were in the community kitchen before it was swept away.

“All the disaster and rehabilitation teams are on the ground, we are making efforts to trace people who may be trapped in the impacted area,” Kumar said over the phone.

India's Minister of Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said he feared the incident "could result in substantial casualties."  

“The news (of cloudburst) is grim and accurate, verified information from the area hit by the cloud burst is slow in arriving,” Jammu and Kashmir's top elected official Omar Abdullah said through the US social media company X.

“All possible resources are being mobilized from within and beyond Jammu and Kashmir to manage the rescue operations,” Omar added, noting that the government will share information when available.