Kishtwar Cloudburst Tragedy: 65 Dead, Over 100 Injured as Rescue Operations Continue

Jammu(The Uttam Hindu): A devastating cloudburst in Chishoti village of Kishtwar district, Jammu & Kashmir, has left a trail of destruction. The disaster, which struck on 14 August around 12:25 PM, has so far claimed 65 lives, while more than 100 people have been injured. Rescue and relief operations entered their third consecutive day on Saturday.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, along with DGP Nalin Prabhat, visited the affected village late Friday night to review the situation. Teams from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, police, civil administration, and local volunteers are working tirelessly to search for missing persons and provide aid.

Officials confirmed that 46 bodies have been identified and handed over to families after legal formalities. However, nearly 75 people are still missing, and eyewitnesses fear the actual toll may be much higher, with many believed to have been swept away by sudden floods or trapped under debris.

The dead also include two CISF personnel and one Special Police Officer (SPO) of the local police.

The cloudburst struck the last village on the Machail Mata Yatra route, sweeping away a temporary market, community kitchen, security post, and several residential areas.

According to the administration, the destruction includes at least 16 houses, several government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-meter-long bridge, and over a dozen vehicles. Rescue teams continue to clear debris, search for survivors, and provide essential supplies to affected families, while authorities have stepped up relief efforts in the disaster-hit region.