In a tragic incident, a massive cloudburst in a remote mountain village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district has resulted in significant loss of life and property. The disaster struck the village of Chositi, a key hub for the annual Machail Mata yatra, leading to flash floods that have washed away several structures and killed at least 30 people, including two CISF personnel.
In response to the tragedy, a large-scale rescue operation is underway involving the NDRF, SDRF, police, Army, and local volunteers. Officials have mobilized additional resources, including two fresh teams of the NDRF from Udhampur to speed up rescue efforts. The Army’s White Knight Corps confirmed that troops were swiftly deployed to the site, with a focus on “safeguarding lives and aiding survivors.” Relief supplies, medical teams, and rescue gear have also been rushed to the area.
So far, 120 people have been rescued, with 38 reported to be in serious condition. However, officials fear the death toll could rise as more people are believed to be trapped. The tragedy has led authorities to suspend the annual Machail Mata yatra, which was scheduled to end on September 5.
The cloudburst occurred between 12 noon and 1 pm on Thursday. Chositi, the last motorable village on the route to the Machail Mata temple, was particularly affected. A ‘langar’ (community kitchen) set up for the large number of devotees gathered for the yatra bore the brunt of the flash floods, along with shops and a security outpost.
Senior officials, including Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma and the senior superintendent of police, rushed to the site to personally supervise the operations. The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, expressed his condolences and directed officials to “strengthen the rescue and relief operations.”
