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60 dead in Kishtwar cloudburst; rescue operations intensify as dozens remain missing | 10 points
Kishtwar’s district magistrate has ordered the deployment of excavators to the cloudburst site, along with adequate doctors and paramedic staff.
At least 60 people, including two CISF personnel, have died after a massive cloudburst triggered flash floods in the remote Chasoti village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday, leaving many others trapped.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah informed on Friday that 60 people have died and over 100 were injured in the Kishtwar cloudburst.
Rescue teams have pulled 167 people from the rubble, with 38 reported in serious condition. Police on Thursday night issued an advisory putting all sub-divisions on high alert, with dedicated teams stationed to respond to emergencies as the large-scale search and rescue operation continues.
“Relief and rescue efforts in Chasoti village continue in full swing, with dedicated police teams operating across all impacted areas to trace the missing,” PTI quoted a police spokesperson as saying.
Here are the details of the situation:
- Disaster struck Chasoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, between 12 noon and 1 pm. The annual yatra, underway since July 25, had drawn large crowds. The cloudburst triggered flash floods, washing away homes, shops, a security outpost, and a langar serving devotees.
- Deputy commissioner Pankaj Sharma and SSP Kishtwar Naresh Singh are on the ground, overseeing operations and ensuring swift action at every site. The duo visited affected areas and supervised the search operation firsthand.
- Police and district administration have activated control rooms and help desks across the district to assist citizens and pilgrims, particularly in vulnerable and remote areas.
- Blood-soaked bodies, lungs clogged with mud, fractured ribs, and deep wounds stuffed with stones, these are among the horrific injuries suffered by pilgrims and security personnel in the wake of the devastating cloudburst that struck the foothill hamlet of Chasoti, PTI news agency reported.
- The fragile Himalayan slopes faced disaster just nine days after flash floods wreaked havoc in Dharali village of Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent their condolences and said the situation was being monitored carefully.
- A large-scale rescue operation involving the NDRF, SDRF, police, Army, and local volunteers is underway, with authorities deploying additional reinforcements, including two new NDRF teams from Jammu, to accelerate the relief efforts. The Army’s White Knight Corps said that operations are focused on saving lives and providing aid to survivors.
- The annual Machail Mata yatra was suspended as authorities focused all efforts on rescue operations in Chasoti. The flash floods struck multiple clustered houses in the foothills. In view of the tragedy, the chief minister Omar Abdullah cancelled the ‘At Home’ tea party and other cultural events planned for Independence Day.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the Kishtwar cloudburst “extremely tragic,” expressing condolences to the victims’ families and urging swift relief and rescue operations. He also appealed to party leaders and workers to support the affected people.
- District Magistrate of Kishtwar has ordered the deployment of 12 excavators (JCBs) to the Chasoti cloudburst site and has reached out to multiple agencies for assistance. He has also directed that sufficient doctors, paramedics, and ambulances be deployed to support rescue and relief operations.
- BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma said the catastrophe in Chasoti, the base camp for the Machail Yatra, has caused widespread devastation, with deaths and injuries reported across the area, and warned that the toll could rise further.
