Kishtwar Cloudburst: Mystery deepens over the flash flood in Chashoti village, scientists say..., Glacier collapse can...
New Delhi: On August 14, the village of Chashoti (Chishoti) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district witnessed a massive devastation when a flash flood struck the region suddenly. According to the reports, the disaster claimed several lives, and hundreds are still missing. But did you know the exact cause of this flood? Was it triggered by a cloudburst or some other reason? Since there is no weather monitoring station in Chashoti, it has become difficult to gather accurate in
A sudden flood swept away houses, shops, and a community kitchen (langar). More than 60 people lost their lives, over 300 were injured, and more than 200 remain missing.
formation. What happened in Chashoti?
Around 11:30 in the morning on August 14, a major incident struck Chashoti village. The village lies on the route of the Machail Mata Yatra, where thousands of pilgrims were present that day. A sudden flood swept away houses, shops, and a community kitchen (langar). More than 60 people lost their lives, over 300 were injured, and more than 200 remain missing. Lack of Weather Monitoring
The DTE in its report has stated that there is no weather monitoring centre in Chashoti. This is the main reason why there is no accurate data available on how much rainfall occurred during the incident. Mukhtiyar Ahmad, Director of the Meteorological Center in Srinagar, said that satellite and Doppler radar data indicated heavy rainfall in Chashoti.
He also added that the upper region of Chashoti is connected to Ladakh's Zanskar area, where there is a possibility of a glacier or a glacial lake bursting, which could be the cause of the flooding. What Was the Cause: Cloudburst or Glacial Lake?
Scientists are discussing the real cause of the floods in Chashoti. Some experts attribute it to a cloudburst, while others suggest the possibility of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). Cloudburst Theory: Here are some of the key details Mohammad Hussain Mir, Duty Officer at the Meteorological Center in Srinagar, says that cloudbursts are common in hilly areas.
His argument is that where two mountains meet, a stream (gadhera) is formed, and winds coming from different directions get trapped there.
These winds rise upward for about 4–8 kilometers.
If this condition persists for half an hour, the moisture in the air increases to such an extent that it can no longer hold its weight, and all the water suddenly falls over a small area of about 50 square meters.
Mir explains that this is why nearby monitoring stations may record less rainfall, while the actual location of the incident may have experienced heavy rainfall.
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Business Standard
3 hours ago
- Business Standard
Kishtwar cloudburst: Multi-agency search intensifies to trace 33 missing
The multi-agency search operation to trace 33 missing persons in cloudburst-hit Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir entered the eighth day on Thursday, officials said. The death toll in the natural calamity that struck the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple on August 14 during the yatra stands at 65, including three CISF personnel and one Special Police Officer (SPO) of J-K Police. Over 100 people were injured. "The search operation by multiple agencies has been intensified to trace 33 missing persons. Operations are underway at the most affected sites by separate teams," a senior official told PTI. The focus of the operation has been laid at three locations -- the major impact site near a langar (community kitchen), the area where houses were washed away, and the Bhuat nallah in Gulabgarh-Paddar areas. Joint teams of police, Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), CISF, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), civil administration, and local volunteers are engaged in the rescue efforts at these sites, the officials said. A team comprising NDRF, SDRF, and police personnel is conducting a search operation along the entire 22-km stretch of the stream from Chisoti to Gulabgarh, following the recovery of two bodies downstream over the past two days, the official said. Specialised heavy-duty trucks have been deployed in the Chisoti to assist in rescue operations. Authorities are using such vehicles to ensure swift evacuation and provide relief in the affected areas, they said. The rescue teams from the 13th Battalion of NDRF are actively carrying out search operations along the river-nallah bed, working tirelessly to locate and retrieve missing persons. They are also removing large boulders and debris to ensure a thorough and safe search. Heavy machinery, including earth movers and sniffer dogs, are being used to sift through the debris, they said. The officials said while the death toll stands at 65, some body parts of the missing people have been recovered, and the DNA identification process has begun. Senior IAS and IPS officials, deputed on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, are supervising the operation on the ground. The flash floods triggered by the cloudburst left a trail of destruction, flattening a makeshift market and a langar site for the annual Machail Mata yatra, damaging 16 houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-metre-long bridge, besides over a dozen vehicles. Army engineers on Sunday built a Bailey bridge over the Chisoti nullah, restoring much-needed connectivity to the village and the Machail Mata shrine. The Army has also inducted a couple of all-terrain vehicles as part of efforts to intensify the rescue and relief operation. The rescuers also carried out over half a dozen controlled explosions to blow up giant boulders hampering the search. The annual Machail Mata yatra, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to conclude on September 5, remained suspended for the seventh consecutive day on Wednesday. However, authorities will allow a group of devotees carrying the 'Charri' from Jammu, who are expected to reach the shrine on August 21 or 22. The 8.5-km trek to the 9,500-foot-high shrine starts from Chisoti, located about 90 km from Kishtwar town.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Kishtwar cloudburst: Search continues as families look for those missing
In Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, the search operation continues for those missing after a cloudburst hit Chasoti village, which claimed 61 lives. Ravi Kumar, who came from Jammu, said he is searching for his sister and other family members after losing his elder sister in the disaster. He added that he has contacted the GMC in Jammu and the Kishtwar administration for updates on the ongoing search operation. Speaking to ANI, Ravi Kumar said, "I have come from Jammu to find my family members missing after the incident... My sister, her children, her mother-in-law and sister-in-law... My elder sister died in the Kishtwar cloud burst incident... We talked to the GMC in Jammu and talked to the Kishtwar administration as well for an update on the search for our relatives during the search operation..." Teams from NDRF, SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, CISF, Indian Army, and the local administration are working on the seventh day of the rescue operation. A day earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that it might be impossible to find anyone alive in the Kishtwar incident, stating that the disaster took place due to a cloudburst rather than a breach of glacial lakes. "Finding the missing persons alive now looks nearly impossible. In these circumstances, we will try to retrieve as many bodies and hand them over to their loved ones. According to the information we have received so far, the disaster that happened in Kishtwar was due to a cloudburst and not a glacial lake breach," Omar Abdullah told reporters. The cloudburst, which occurred during the Machail Mata Yatra on August 14, led to devastating flash floods, leaving around 55 people dead in Kishtwar. Security forces have since intensified relief and rescue efforts in the affected region.
