Jammu and Kashmir cloudburst: 12 bodies recovered from village in Kishtwar, toll likely to go up
The annual yatra to the shrine has been suspended following the incident as authorities mobilised all resources and are heading to the scene to conduct a massive rescue and relief operation, the officials said.
Officials said the flashfloods have hit several houses as it is dense hamlet located at the foothill.
Deputy commissioner, Kishtwar, Pankaj Kumar Sharma along with Senior Superintendent of Police Naresh Singh are on way to the cloudburst-hit area to supervise the rescue operation, the officials said. They said a team of officials led by Sub-divisional magistrate, Padder have reached the site.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha condoled the loss of lives in the incident.
"Anguished by cloudburst in Chositi Kishtwar. Condolences to bereaved families & prayers for quick recovery of injured. Directed Civil, Police, Army, NDRF & SDRF officials to strengthen the rescue & relief operations and ensure all possible assistance is provided to the affected," he said on X.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he spoke to Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma on the matter.
"A massive Cloud burst in Chositi area, which could result in substantial casualty. Administration has immediately swung into action, rescue team has left for the site", he said on X.
Deputy Commissioner Sharma said massive rescue operations have been started in the area.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
3 hours ago
- Business Standard
Search for missing continues on day 5 in J&K's Kishtwar despite heavy rain
Braving heavy rains and difficult terrain, rescuers pressed on with the large-scale search operation to trace those buried under debris in this cloudburst-hit remote village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar on the fifth day on Monday, officials said. Donning rain coats, the rescue teams were seen working at multiple locations, especially the major impact spot near a langar (community kitchen) site, despite the downpour, sifting through the rubble using heavy machinery, including earth movers and sniffer dogs. Cloudburst struck Chisoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, on August 14, killing 61 people, including three CISF personnel and one Special Police Officer, and leaving over 100 others injured. The number of missing people has been reported as around 50 after a fresh revision of the list. The flash-floods triggered by the cloudburst left a trail of destruction, flattening a makeshift market, 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. Today is the fifth day of the operation, and combined efforts are underway to recover the mortal remains of the missing persons. The weather is challenging in view of the rain. We also have a warning (of heavy rains) for the day, but still we are trying our best, a CISF officer said. The 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. Army engineers on Sunday built a Bailey bridge over Chisoti nullah, providing 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 the efforts to intensify the rescue and relief operation, officials said. The rescuers conducted about half a dozen controlled explosions over the last two days 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 fifth consecutive day on Sunday. The 8.5-km trek to the 9,500-foot-high shrine starts from Chisoti, located about 90 km from Kishtwar town. The rescuers are utilising over a dozen earth-movers and other heavy equipment, while the NDRF mobilised its resources, including dog squads, to speed up the rescue operation. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Search for missing enters fifth day in cloudburst-hit J&K's Kishtwar village despite heavy rain
Braving heavy rains and difficult terrain, rescuers pressed on with the large-scale search operation to trace those buried under debris in this cloudburst-hit remote village of Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K's) Kishtwar on the fifth day on Monday (August 18, 2025), officials said. India monsoon updates, August 18, 2025 Donning rain coats, the rescue teams were seen working at multiple locations, especially the major impact spot near a langar (community kitchen) site, despite the downpour, sifting through the rubble using heavy machinery, including earth movers and sniffer dogs. Cloudburst struck Chisoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, on August 14, killing 61 people, including three CISF personnel and one Special Police Officer, and leaving over 100 others injured. The number of missing people has been reported as around 50 after a fresh revision of the list. The flash-floods triggered by the cloudburst left a trail of destruction, flattening a makeshift market, 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. 'Today is the fifth day of the operation, and combined efforts are underway to recover the mortal remains of the missing persons. The weather is challenging in view of the rain. We also have a warning [of heavy rains] for the day, but still we are trying our best,' a CISF officer said. The 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. Army engineers on Sunday built a Bailey bridge over Chisoti nullah, providing 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 the efforts to intensify the rescue and relief operation, officials said. The rescuers conducted about half a dozen controlled explosions over the last two days 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 fifth consecutive day on Sunday (August 17). The 8.5-km trek to the 9,500-foot-high shrine starts from Chisoti, located about 90 km from Kishtwar town. The rescuers are utilising over a dozen earth-movers and other heavy equipment, while the NDRF mobilised its resources, including dog squads, to speed up the rescue operation.
News18
a day ago
- News18
We will plan movement of transport Mandi DC on landslide damage in Himachal
Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 17 (ANI): Multiple flash floods and landslides have disrupted traffic and caused extensive damage to public and private property in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, officials said on Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan said, 'There have been a lot of landslides due to heavy rain. A lot of damage has been done to both public and private properties. We will plan the movement of the transports; this will be our target for today."Flash floods were reported at Panarsa, Takoli, and Nagwain along the Mandi-Kullu stretch of the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway, blocking connectivity at several points and causing major disruption to vehicular movement. No human casualties have been reported so far, according to Sachin Hiremath, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mandi. Police personnel are maintaining strict vigil at affected sites, while restoration work is underway to reopen the Pradesh continues to reel under heavy monsoon rains. According to the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA), the state has recorded 261 deaths between June 20 and August 16, 2025. Of these, 136 were caused by rain-related incidents such as landslides, floods, flash floods, drowning, electrocution, and house collapses, while 125 lives were lost in road accidents. Mandi district has been particularly affected, reporting 26 rain-related deaths and extensive damage to infrastructure. Other severely hit districts include Kangra (28 deaths), Chamba (10), and Kullu (11).The HPSDMA report highlights damage worth Rs 2,14,457 lakh to public and private property. Roads, water supply schemes, agriculture, horticulture, and electricity infrastructure have suffered heavily. The Public Works Department alone reported losses exceeding Rs 1.18 lakh crore, while combined agricultural and horticultural losses are estimated at over Rs 83,000 crore. Road connectivity remains one of the worst-hit sectors, with frequent blockages on NH-05 (Kinnaur) and NH-305 (Kullu), leaving several interior villages cut off and delaying rescue and relief and livestock have also suffered, with 278 houses fully damaged, 288 partially damaged, 703 cowsheds destroyed, and over 27,000 animals and birds lost. Authorities said restoring essential services–roads, power, and water supply–remains a top priority, but continuous rainfall and recurring landslides are slowing the process. Residents have been advised to remain cautious, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow weather advisories. (ANI)
