Kishtwar cloudburst kills 46

At least 46 persons were killed and over 100 injured in a flashflood triggered by a cloudburst that hit Chositi village in the Paddar area of the mountainous Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

The village is the last motorable point for the Machail Mata yatra and many pilgrims, who belonged to different areas of Jammu division, were present at the site at the time of the flashflood. Cabs and private vehicles were swept away.

The Machail Mata yatra had started on July 25. It has been suspended after the tragedy by the administration.

Two CISF personnel were among those killed. The injured were initially brought to the Atholi health centre from where 32 critically injured were sent to a health facility at the Kishtwar district headquarters and Government Medical College, Doda.

Survivor recalls horror

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Narinder Kumar (24), an employee of the University of Jammu, along with his mother, was on the way to the Machail Mata shrine when the flashflood struck the area. Kumar was fortunate to survive the tragedy that unfolded in front of his eyes.

Narinder told The Tribune from Gulabgarh where he returned with his 58-year-old mother that it was like doomsday when water flowed from a mountain and destroyed everything that came in its way.

“It all happened within seconds. I saw a car swept away in the stream of water,” he said. He said he went out to help those in need.

This is not the first time Narinder witnessed such a tragedy in front of his eyes. On January 1, 2022, he was present at the Vaishno Devi shrine when a stampede occurred in which 12 persons were killed.

Pilgrims who were eating food at a community kitchen on the roadside were the first to be swept away by the flashflood. Another flashflood hit an area 5 km away from Chositi that washed away a road due to which rescuers were not able to reach the spot immediately.

Union minister Jitendra Singh said the road in the area was washed away and the weather was not helicopter-worthy. He coordinated with the central authorities to provide relief to people.

At Chositi, the flood hit a road that was used by the pilgrims who were travelling on foot. The water that was also carrying boulders and muck entered Chositi village that has a population of nearly 500. The 8.5-km trek to the Machail Mata shrine begins from Chositi.

Rescue teams, including those from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Army, with specialised equipment were rushed to the area.

The region was witnessing continuous rain since late Wednesday due to which water streams were already in spate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were informed about the tragedy by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha who in turn assured them of all help from the Centre.

In a statement on X, the PM said, “My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst and flooding in Kishtwar. The situation is being monitored closely. Rescue and relief operations are underway. Every possible assistance will be provided to those in need.”

The administration and the police immediately issued helpline numbers for victims’ family members. The police also urged the family members to report if their kin were missing.

The electricity and phone connectivity in the village was also snapped as most of the infrastructure suffered the impact.

The Home Minister said, “Spoke to the L-G and the Chief Minister of J&K on the cloudburst in Kishtwar district. The local administration is conducting relief and rescue operations. NDRF teams have promptly been rushed to the site. We are closely monitoring the situation and stand firmly with the people of J&K through every situation. Have assured the people in need of all possible assistance”.

At least 30 ambulances were pressed into service that brought the injured to the healthcare facilities.

Omar said he spoke to Shah and briefed him about the situation. “The news is grim. Accurate and verified information from the area hit by the cloudburst is slow in arriving. All possible resources are being mobilised from within and beyond J&K to manage the rescue operations. I’m not going to be speaking to channels or news agencies. The government will share information as and when possible,” he said on X.

The White Knight Corps of the Army, which is based in Nagrota and looks after Kishtwar, besides other areas, also sent troops to rescue the injured and provide food and other essential items to the local population.

In a statement, L-G Sinha said, “Anguished by the cloudburst in Chositi, Kishtwar. Condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the quick recovery of the injured. Have directed civil, police, Army, NDRF and SDRF officials to strengthen the rescue and relief operations and ensure that all possible assistance is provided to those affected”.

All subdivisions in Kishtwar were put on high alert, and dedicated police teams were stationed to respond to any emergency situation arising from heavy rain, landslides, floods or road blockages.