Jammu: A massive cloudburst led to flash floods in a remote mountain village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, killing at least 46 people, including two CISF personnel, and trapping many more.
As night fell over Chositi village, rescuers worked frantically and pulled out 167 people from under mounds of rubble. Of these, 38 are in a serious condition, officials said. The death toll went up steadily as the day progressed and there were fears it could rise further.
Disaster struck Chositi, the last motorable village on the way to Machail Mata temple, between 12 noon and 1 pm. A large number of people had gathered there for the annual Machail Mata yatra that began on July 25 and is scheduled to end on September 5. The 8.5 kilometre trek to the 9,500-feet shrine begins from Chositi.
Chositi is about 90 kilometres from Kishtwar town. A ‘langar’ (community kitchen) packed with devotees bore the brunt of the cloudburst, which led to flash floods and washed away several structures, including shops and a security outpost.
Videos showed torrents of muddy water, silt and rubble tearing through the steep slopes, destroying everything in the way. Houses folded over like pack of cards, rocks came tumbling down, blocking roads and rescue paths, the mudslide turning the verdant landscape to a grim brown-grey.
The fragile Himalayan slopes faced disaster just nine days after flashfloods wreaked havoc in Dharali village of Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. Though only one person is confirmed dead, 68 people are still reported missing in the calamity that struck on August 5.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent their condolences and said the situation was being monitored carefully.
In a post on X, Modi said, “My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst and flooding in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. The situation is being monitored closely. Rescue and relief operations are underway.”
“Every possible assistance will be provided to those in need,” the prime minister said.
“The news of several deaths due to a cloudburst in Kishtwar, Jammu-Kashmir, is extremely tragic. I express my heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and pray for the success of relief and rescue operations,” Murmu said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Lt Gov Manoh Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take stock of the situation.
“The local administration is conducting relief and rescue operations. NDRF teams have promptly been rushed to the site,” he wrote on X.
Immediately after news came in of the disaster, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma and senior officials mobilised rescue teams and headed towards the spot to personally supervise the operations.
A large-scale rescue operation was launched by NDRF, SDRF, police, Army and local volunteers, the authorities have mobilised more rescuers, including two fresh teams of NDRF from Jammu to speed up the rescue efforts, officials said.
Army’s White Knight Corps said efforts are on to safeguard lives and aid the survivors.
“In the aftermath of a cloudburst at Chisoti (Chositi) village, Kishtwar, troops of White Knight Corps swiftly mobilised for rescue and relief ops (operations). Efforts are centred on safeguarding lives and aiding survivors. Search for missing continues. Relief stores, medical teams and rescue gear rushed to site. We Serve, We Protect,” the corps said in an X post.
Union minister Jitendra Singh was among the first to indicate the magnitude of the tragedy.
“A massive cloudburst in Chositi area, which could result in substantial casualty. Administration has immediately swung into action, rescue team has left for the site,” Union Minister Jitendra Singh said in an X post.
The annual yatra to the Machail Mata shrine was suspended following the tragedy as authorities mobilised all resources for rescue operations at Chositi.
Officials added that the flash floods hit several houses clustered together in the foothills.
The chief minister cancelled ‘At Home’ tea party and cultural events during Independence Day celebrations on Friday following the loss of lives. .
“We have also decided not to go ahead with the cultural events during the morning Independence Day celebrations. The formal events – speech, march past etc will go ahead as planned,” the chief minister said in a post on X.
Extending his deepest condolences, BJP leader Jehanzaib Sirwal underscored the broader concern — the unchecked proliferation of power projects in Kishtwar.
“While development is essential, the ongoing projects, pursued without rigorous mechanisms or proper environmental assessments, pose a grave threat to our fragile ecosystem,” Sirwal said, urging the Centre to institute immediate and thorough checks on these initiatives.
“If robust measures are not implemented even now, the consequences for Kishtwar and its people could be even more catastrophic in the years ahead,” he said.
Lt Gov Sinha also expressed his anguish.
“Anguished by cloudburst in Chositi Kishtwar. Condolences to bereaved families and prayers for quick recovery of the injured. Directed Civil, Police, Army, NDRF and SDRF officials to strengthen the rescue and relief operations and ensure all possible assistance is provided to the affected,” he said on X.
