40 dead, over 200 missing as cloudburst triggers flash flood in J&K’s Kishtwar

Cloudburst in Chishoti village kills 40, over 220 missing along Machail Mata Yatra pilgrimage route
Flash floods destroy community kitchen, houses, vehicles; Army, BSF, SDRF, NDRF conduct rescue operations
Leaders express condolences, assure assistance; Independence Day cultural events cancelled in affected Jammu and Kashmir region

A cloudburst struck Chishoti village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, killing at least 40 people, including two CISF personnel, and injuring over 120. More than 220 people are reported missing. The incident occurred along the route of the Machail Mata Yatra, a pilgrimage to the shrine of Mata Chandi in Padder area, which began on July 25 and has so far seen over 1.3 lakh devotees.

Officials said the cloudburst occurred around noon in Chishoti Nullah, triggering sudden flash floods that swept away a community kitchen where around 100 to 150 pilgrims were having food. Several nearby houses and parked vehicles were also washed away. Chishoti village, located by a rivulet and serving as the last motorable point before the shrine, was partially affected, while most of it remained safe due to its elevated location.

District Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma confirmed the death toll and said the number could rise as more bodies may be recovered. The injured were initially taken to the Sub-District Hospital at Atholi, with many later shifted to the District Hospital in Kishtwar, about 80 kilometres away. Rescue teams from the Indian Army, Border Security Force, State Disaster Response Force, and National Disaster Response Force have been deployed to the site.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed condolences and assured full support for rescue and relief measures. Abdullah said all possible resources from within and outside Jammu and Kashmir were being mobilised. Cultural programmes related to Independence Day celebrations in the region have been cancelled in view of the tragedy.

The India Meteorological Department defines a cloudburst as an extreme rainfall event of more than 100 mm within an hour, which can cause flash floods and landslides, particularly in mountainous regions during the monsoon. Authorities have urged caution for those travelling in the affected areas until the rescue and recovery operations are completed.

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Kishtwar cloudburst