Kishtwar tragedy: 56 bodies recovered, search operation for missing intensifies
At least 56 people, including two CISF personnel, have been confirmed dead after a massive cloudburst struck Chashoti village near the Machail Mata Shrine in Kishtwar district on Thursday.
The resulting cloudburst debris and flash floods swept away makeshift structures, a community kitchen and a security post.
Officials said over 250 people are still missing while more than 300 have been rescued so far, several of them with serious injuries.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on X today, 'I just received a call from Hon PM @narendramodi Sb. I briefed him about the situation in Kishtwar & the steps being taken by the administration. My government & the people hit by this tragic cloudburst are grateful for his support & all the assistance provided by the Union Government'.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the disaster could result in substantial casualties and confirmed that the administration has swung into action, deploying rescue teams from the Civil Administration, Police, Army, NDRF, and SDRF. Adverse weather and washed-out roads have hampered air operations, forcing ground teams to lead much of the evacuation effort.
Witnesses said the cloudburst struck around 11.30 a.m. Thursday, when hundreds of pilgrims were present in the last motorable Chashoti village before the high altitude shrine.
The sudden surge of water destroyed a community kitchen hosting nearly 200 pilgrims and also damaged nearby security installations. Many tents and temporary shelters set up for pilgrims were washed away in the deluge.
L-G Manoj Sinha has directed all agencies to strengthen rescue and relief operations and ensure all possible assistance to the affected.
Control rooms and helpline numbers have been activated to help locate missing persons. The Machail Mata Yatra, which draws thousands of devotees every August, has been suspended until further notice.
Due to the scale of the tragedy, Independence Day celebrations in several parts of the Union Territory were scaled down, with only flag hoisting and the national anthem being observed.
Officials fear the casualty count may rise as many areas remain cut off. Rescuers, including volunteers from local organisations, are continuing their search along the riverbanks downstream from the disaster site.
Critical health infrastructure was reinforced at Sub-District Hospital (SDH), Paddar, with an additional deployment of 13 doctors and 31 paramedics. Senior officers of the health department are stationed at Paddar, overseeing rescue and medical operations. District Hospital (DH) Kishtwar has been augmented with the additional deployment of General Surgeons, Orthopaedic Surgeons, and Anaesthetists from Government Medical College (GMC) Doda. Additionally, tertiary care institutions have been put in a state of full readiness.
A team comprising specialists has been readied at Doda to manage patients being referred from DH Kishtwar. Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Jammu is in full operational readiness with 50 dedicated disaster beds, 20 ventilator beds, and 5 operating theatres (OTs). Specialist medical teams comprising Orthopaedicians, Neurosurgeons, Critical Care Anaesthetists, and Maxillo-facial consultants are on standby.
The GMC Jammu Blood Bank has been augmented with 200-plus units of blood available for any exigency.
To assist in the response to the situation, PGIMER Chandigarh has dispatched a specialised team comprising Critical Care Specialists and Neurosurgeons to GMC Jammu to further enhance critical care patient care capabilities. Immediately following the incident, a large fleet of 65 ambulances from the Health department, NHPC, Army, CRPF and 108 Emergency Service of the J&K Health and Medical Education department was deployed for rescue and patient transfer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
16 minutes ago
- Hans India
Revanth shreds Centre's take on State debts
Hyderabad: Close on the heels of the Union government declaring in Parliament that Telangana's debts in 10 years were Rs 3.5 lakh crore, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has shredded the Centre's official figures on the mounting debt burden on the state, saying: "The previous government left us with mounting debts and arrears of Rs 8,21,652 crore when the people's government assumed power. Out of this, Rs. 6,71,757 crore are debts. Rs 40,154 crore dues are related to the payments of the employees and other schemes. Rs 1,09,740 crore dues are related to SC, ST sub plan, Singareni (Collieries), electricity and other departments," Reddy said. From the total debts, the state government has completed the debt service of Rs 2,20,676 crore, which included Rs 1,32,498 crore principal amount and Rs 88,178 crore interest amount till the date, he said. Speaking after unfurling the National Flag at the historical Golconda Fort here on Friday to mark the Independence Day, he amplified that, despite facing financial burden, his government was working hard to take the state forward from zero to the top level. Revanth Reddy demanded the Centre to approve the BC quota bills passed by the state legislature. He said the state Assembly has passed two bills to provide 42 per cent quota to Backward Classes in local bodies, education and jobs and sent them for presidential assent. "On this occasion, I once again demand the central government to take a quick decision on the pending bills," he said. The Socio-Economic Caste Survey and SC classification conducted in the state were courageous decisions of the state government in the history of India, he underlined. The Chief Minister took a broadside at the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi government on the unbridled encroachment on lakes, ponds and other water bodies in Hyderabad. "In the previous government, people were not serious about the encroachment on lands, ponds and canals due to lack of a credible system. So far, the Hyderabad Disaster Management and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has protected 13 parks and 20 lakes from encroachments. Amberpet Bathukamma Kunta has been restored. The HYDRAA protected government lands worth Rs 30 ,000 crore. Today, the common people are praising HYDRAA. "The opposition parties are using HYDRAA as a weapon for political gains. My appeal to people is to think and compare the past with the current situation when the Hyderabad City received heavy rains". The opposition was trying to create unrest by showing HYDRAA as a failed system, he said. "Today, cities like Bangaluru, Mumbai and Chennai are facing flood problems. Hyderabad should not witness such a plight. To make Hyderabad a safe destination for living, HYDRAA was brought about to curb the encroachment of tanks," he said. Referring to Telangana Rising 2047 document, the Chief Minister said that the document promises a permanent solution to Hyderabad's flooding problem with the Musi Rejuvenation Project. The document also showed how India's Future City, being built to international standards, will be a gateway to the modern world. 'Telangana Rising – 2047 is a plan to radically transform the image of Telangana with the construction of the Gandhi Sarovar project at Bapu Ghat, greenfield highways, dry ports, second phase Metro Rail, radial roads between the Outer and Regional Ring Roads, Warangal and Adilabad airports, Hyderabad-Nagpur, Hyderabad-Bangalore, and Hyderabad-Vijayawada industrial corridors. Our goal is to implement this resolution and make Telangana a key player in the country's progress by 2047. The Telangana Rising – 2047 is a grand visionary document to transform Telangana into a one trillion US dollar economy by 2035 and a 3 trillion UD dollar economy by 2047. This is not just a plan. It is a resolve to make Telangana proud on the world stage.' Further, the Chief Minister said aligning the vision of Telangana Rising 2047 document with that of India@2047: "We are striving to achieve the goals and the role of Telangana in making India number one in the world. Our determination is that Telangana should play a key game changer role that will change the face of India by 2047."
Hans India
16 minutes ago
- Hans India
CM on two-pronged strategy of ‘People's govt': 'We compete globally, yet prioritise welfare measures'
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has observed that the 'People's government' headed by him, while setting its sights on competing with global cities, is fully committed to delivering welfare benefits to uplift the disadvantaged sections of society. Addressing the Independence Day celebrations at Golkonda Fort on Friday, Revanth Reddy listed out his government's welfare schemes and their positive impact on society. The People's government had adopted a two-pronged approach, he explained. On the one hand, the government set for itself goals to compete with global cities; and, on the other hand, the government was delivering welfare benefits to fulfil the aspirations of the poor. "Clarity in thinking and transparency in implementation are the hallmark of our governance", the Chief Minister said. The state government had chosen an inclusive development approach by involving everyone and created miracles. So, Telangana had become a 'role model' for the country within 20 months, Revanth claimed. The present Congress government, soon after assuming power on December 7, 2023, 'restored democracy' and took policy decisions in tune with the aspirations and goals of people as well as Telangana activists and martyrs. The People's government accorded priority to the future and welfare of farmers, women, and youth. 'We took historic decisions to invent a social Telangana. We fulfilled the 100-year dream of the weaker sections by conducting the (Socio-Economic) Caste Census and implemented SC sub classification, thereby ending decades of waiting for the Scheduled castes. The two important decisions taken by the government are not only significant but also courageous in the history of India,' the CM remarked. On farmers' welfare, the Chief Minister said that farmers in the state could get rid of their debts and register the highest crop production in the country, upon implementation of the loan waiver scheme, Rythu Bharosa, along with bonus of Rs 500. Revanth Reddy said that women empowerment schemes, including free travel in RTC buses, had brought a paradigm shift in the lives of women in the state.
Hans India
16 minutes ago
- Hans India
Putin hails India's 'well-deserved authority' in world
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday praised India's "well-deserved authority" in global affairs, highlighting its active role in addressing key international issues. In his Independence Day messages to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin also underlined Russia's commitment to strengthening the "special privileged strategic partnership" between the two nations. "India enjoys well-deserved authority in the world arena and actively participates in resolving the most important issues on the international agenda," he said. "We value our relations of special privileged strategic partnership with India," Putin said. The Russian president exuded confidence that through joint efforts, Russia and India will continue to comprehensively increase constructive bilateral cooperation in various areas. "This fully meets the interests of our friendly peoples and is in line with strengthening security and stability at the regional and global levels," Putin said.
