A sudden burst of heavy rain has claimed dozens of lives in India-administered Kashmir and sparked frantic rescue efforts, the second recent disaster to underscore the vulnerability of those living in the Himalayas to the effects of extreme weather.

Rescuers in Indian Kashmir used shovels and earthmovers to search for survivors under boulders and debris on Friday, a day after sudden floods triggered by heavy rains killed at least 60 people and left 200 others missing.