Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir — In Kishtwar’s Chishoti hamlet, a sudden and huge cloudburst created flash floods that have killed at least 60 people, wounded more than 100, and left dozens of people missing. The cloudburst, which happened between 12 and 1 pm, caused rivulets to fill up quickly and overflow, destroying a camp for pilgrims of the annual Machail Mata Yatra.
The Chishoti region, the last village on the pilgrimage path that could be reached by car, was full of pilgrims when the accident happened. Officials and many who saw it said that the floodwaters hit a community kitchen (langar) full with pilgrims the hardest. Videos going around on social media demonstrate how powerful the water is, sweeping away everything in its path, including buildings, cars, and a security outpost. There are two verified deaths, one from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and one from the Special Police Officer (SPO).
A lot of rescue and relief work is going on right now.
Rescue operations are going on right now, and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and Army are working hard to find the missing and help those who have survived. Officials said that 167 individuals have been pulled from the rubble, but 38 of them are in bad shape. Rescue attempts are being hampered by the rough terrain and sporadic rain, but authorities are employing excavators to clear the rubble in a desperate attempt to uncover more survivors.
After the incident, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah talked to both Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both heads of the federal government have sent their sympathies and promised the state government full support and help with the rescue and relief efforts. The Machail Mata Yatra, which was supposed to go on until early September, has been put on hold for an unknown amount of time.
The flash floods have done a lot of damage to roads and structures, demolishing at least 16 homes, three temples, four water mills, and a 30-meter-long bridge.