Army Commander lauds troops for swift Kishtwar cloudburst relief efforts

Northern Command chief Lt Gen Pratik Sharma has commended Army troops for their prompt and dedicated response following the devastating cloudburst at Chositi village in Kishtwar district.

During his visit to Kishtwar and Rajouri on Thursday, Lt Gen Sharma praised the troops for their high state of operational readiness and resilience amid challenging conditions.

“Lt Gen Sharma lauded all ranks for their unwavering commitment, professionalism, and high morale during the crisis. He also emphasised the need for continued vigilance and sustained efforts to maintain peace in the region,” said an Army official.

Besides Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts also witnessed flashfloods last week, which wrecked havoc in the region.

The Army deployed over 300 personnel along with heavy machinery to support search, rescue and relief operations. Army engineers also constructed a Bailey bridge over the Chositi Nallah, restoring crucial connectivity to the village and to the Machail Mata shrine.

All-terrain vehicles were also inducted to facilitate ongoing relief efforts in the rugged and flood-hit region.

The catastrophic cloudburst flattened a makeshift market and a langar site set up for the annual Machail Mata Yatra. According to reports, the disaster damaged at least 16 houses, several government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-meter-long bridge, and more than a dozen vehicles. A total of 65 people were confirmed dead, with 33 still reported missing.

Meanwhile, Mushtaq Ahmed, Project Head of 108 Ambulance Services, shared details of the immediate medical response initiated in the aftermath of the tragedy.

“A distress call was received at the control room from Viqar Lone, 108 Area Operation Manager, and EMT Sunil Kumar, who was already on duty at Chositi for the ongoing Machail Mata Yatra, along with driver Arif Rashid,” said Ahmed.

One of the 108 ambulances was already stationed at the site, enabling a rapid first-response effort. Recognising the scale of the emergency, 14 more ambulances from Kishtwar and Doda districts were quickly mobilised to transport the injured to Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Paddar.

Despite blocked roads near Jusniya Nallah due to flooding, EMTs and locals worked together to carry patients across inaccessible stretches, transferring them into ambulances for further evacuation.

In coordination with the National Health Mission (NHM), an additional 31 ambulances were dispatched from across the region, bringing the total to 47 ambulances engaged in the relief operation.

“In total, 77 patients received emergency care and were shifted to nearby hospitals, while 31 critically injured pilgrims were transferred to GMC Jammu for advanced treatment,” Ahmed added.