500 missing, 145 dead in India floodingBy the CNN Wire Staff
August 9, 2010 -- Updated 0149 GMT (0949 HKT)
Indian army personnel rest after setting up a temporary bridge at Choglamsar village in Leh on Sunday.
Landslides were triggered by a massive rainfall Friday night
Rescuers continued to search for victims Sunday
The landslides snapped power lines and flattened villages
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India
(CNN) -- Rescue workers in India continued to search for more than 500 people missing after flash floods and landslides struck a northern town, state-run media reported Sunday.
The death toll from the devastation has risen to 145 people, according to the official Press Trust of India.
The landslides were triggered late last week after a massive rainfall took sleeping residents by surprise -- snapping power lines, flattening villages and upending vehicles.
Rescuers were slogging through knee-deep mud as they searched for the missing in the city of Leh, the news agency reported.
The town is about 310 miles (500 km) from Srinagar.
About 6,000 soldiers were deployed in the relief efforts, Indian army Lt. Col. J.S. Brar said. Helicopters have also been called in as damaged roads made it difficult to reach the affected areas.
