At least 60 people have been confirmed killed due to a massive cloudburst that struck Chositi village in the remote Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday afternoon. Search and rescue operations
continue at the site, with the White Knight Corps deploying over 300 troops with relief stores and medical teams.
Local administration teams are on the ground, evacuating residents, providing medical assistance and working to restore normalcy in the affected areas. Authorities are assessing damage and prioritising the safety of people in vulnerable zones.
Earlier, officials said two CISF personnel were among the 46 people killed in the cloudburst. While addressing an Independence Day event, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said at least 60 people had been killed in the incident.
At least 167 people have been rescued in injured condition, while 69 are reported missing by their relatives. Abdullah expressed condolences for the families of the victims and said it needed to be ascertained if there was any lapse on the administration’s part as “we already knew about the weather (forecast)”.
Rescue Ops Continue
A large number of devotees had gathered in Chositi, around 90 km from Kishtwar town, for the annual Machail Mata Yatra when the cloudburst struck. A ‘langar’ (community kitchen) set up for pilgrims was among the worst-hit structures. Several shops and a security post were also swept away by the flash floods.
Many vehicles at the bus stand, the starting point for the foot journey to the Himalayan temple of Machail Mata, were severely damaged by floodwaters and mud. More people are believed to be trapped following the deluge.
Officials told news agency PTI that several earth-movers requisitioned by the district administration have joined the operation to move giant boulders, uprooted trees, and electricity poles to speed up the rescue operation. Authorities are still searching for the 69 missing people.
Furthermore, the Jammu and Kashmir administration set up a control room-cum-help desk to assist people and pilgrims following flash floods. The help desk has received hundreds of distress calls since the tragedy, according to an official.
21 Bodies Identified
J&K police said they had identified 21 out of the 60 bodies retrieved from the site of the cloudburst. Authorities shared the pictures of the victims through a WhatsApp group with the affected families, which helped identify the deceased.
“Out of 45 bodies retrieved so far, 21 have been identified by their families. The rest are being identified,” a senior official told PTI. A J&K health department official said a team of specialist doctors from PGI Chandigarh is reaching Government Medical College, Jammu, to assist in medical care and bolster critical care capabilities.
At least 16 houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-metre bridge, as well as over a dozen vehicles were also damaged in the flash flood, according to reports.
(with agency inputs)
