Guwahati, India - August 06, 2025 A massive rescue operation was launched in a remote mountain terrain after torrential rains and flash floods swept away makeshift bridges along the trek route, leaving over 400 pilgrims stranded. The incident occurred in Tangling, along the Kinnaur Kailash trek route, Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh, northern India, on August 6. Visuals from the spot show a muddy, fast-moving stream surging through the area after the flash flood, with the bridges completely washed away. Stranded pilgrims can be seen unable to cross the raging water. Rescue personnel later appear in the footage, using a zipline technique to safely evacuate them one by one across the torrent. Responding to a requisition from the Deputy Commissioner of Kinnaur, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) deployed a specialised rescue team under Assistant Commandant (General Duty) Sameer, equipped with mountaineering and Rope Rescue and Climbing (RRC) gear. The rescue team, supported by a 14-member unit from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), successfully evacuated 413 stranded yatris using a rope traverse technique. Visuals shared by ITBP show pilgrims ziplining across gushing streams, as jawans navigate steep and slippery terrain to ensure safe passage. The flash flood struck early on Wednesday morning, damaging a bridge over the Tangling drain and cutting off the trekking route. Rescue efforts were swiftly mobilised, with teams carrying equipment such as ice axes, harnesses, crampons, and other high-altitude tools required for mountain rescue in extreme weather. Following reports of more people stranded, additional ITBP and NDRF teams were remobilised to the site. Rescue operations are still ongoing. The incident comes amid continued monsoon havoc in Himachal Pradesh, where torrential rain, cloudbursts, and landslides have left a trail of destruction. According to the State Disaster Management Authority, 194 lives have been lost, and the state has suffered damages worth ₹1.85 lakh crore between June 20 and August 5. Authorities have temporarily suspended trekking and pilgrimage routes in vulnerable areas, and urged the public to avoid travel in landslide-prone zones. [Restriction:Not Distributable in Germany] * Exclusive Video rights