Torrential rains have triggered flash floods in India and Pakistan, killing over 280 people and leaving many missing.

Rescuers evacuated around 1,600 people from mountainous areas, while in Pakistan, a relief helicopter crashed in bad weather, killing all five aboard.

In India, floods halted a major Hindu pilgrimage and forced thousands to evacuate, the Associated Press has reported.

Experts link the surge in destructive cloudbursts to climate change and unplanned mountain development.

Written by B.C. Begley