Cloudburst In Kishtwar / Massive destruction in Kishtwar, 46 dead including 2 CRPF soldiers, hundreds missing

Cloudburst In Kishtwar: The horrific natural disaster that struck Chishoti village in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir at around 11 am on Thursday created a scene of devastation. Due to a sudden cloudburst during the Machail Mata Yatra, a flood of water, mud, stones and rocks entered the village, destroying everything that came in its way. So far 46 people, including 2 CRPF personnel, have died in this accident, more than 120 are injured and about 250 people are reported to be missing. 167 people have been rescued, but bad weather is becoming a major obstacle in relief work.

Thousands of devotees were present in Chishoti village at that time due to the Machail Mata Yatra. The track from the village to the temple is at an altitude of 9,000 feet on the mountains, where devotees from all over the country reach every year. The langars, tents, shops, houses, roads and bridges installed at the time of the accident were swept away in the strong current. The administration says that officially 220 people are missing, but the actual number could be much higher.

Teams of NDRF, Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and SDRF are engaged in relief and rescue work. Ambulances were sent from Udhampur, Doda and Bhaderwah, but helicopters are not able to fly due to bad weather. Opposition leader Sunil Sharma and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh have expressed apprehension of huge losses and have assured all possible help from the Center.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured all possible help to the affected people. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah also expressed condolences and expressed concern over the increasing incidents of cloudburst.

Due to the disaster, cultural programs of Independence Day have been canceled in the state. Rescue work is going on, but the scene of devastation in the mountains and fear and despair are clearly visible in the eyes of the people wandering in search of their loved ones.

Flash flood in Kishtwar | Relief operations continue in full swing. Over 5 columns of 60 personnel each and medical detachments of White Knight Corps are on ground, working tirelessly in consonance with J&K Police, SDRF and other civilian agencies to save lives & assist those in… pic.twitter.com/Kp0QqrkuTD

— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025