 "The damaged bridge in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar's Chositi area from cloudburst-triggered flash flood. (Photo: CNN-News 18)")
A cloudburst on Thursday triggered flash flood in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar’s Chositi area. Several casualties are feared.
“A flash flood has occurred at Chashoti area in Kishtwar, which is the starting point of the Machail Mata Yatra. Rescue Operations have been started,” Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Sharma told ANI.
The CNN-News 18 has reported that at least 20 people are feared dead at the moment and the toll could rise. The casualties are feared as the flash flood washed away a community kitchen. However, there has not been any formal confirmation of casualties.
Additionally, around 30 people have been admitted to the district hospital with injuries.
Separately, Union minister Jitender Singh said that that the cloud burst “could result in substantial casualty”.
State media shared visuals from the area that showed water gushing downhill from what appeared to be a broken road. Vehicles were also seen stranded in the video.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said that two teams have been deployed to Kishtwar for rescue and relief work.
Separately, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of J&K said, “Anguished by cloudburst in Chositi Kishtwar. Condolences to bereaved families and prayers for quick recovery of injured. Directed Civil, Police, Army, NDRF and SDRF officials to strengthen the rescue and relief operations and ensure all possible assistance is provided to the affected.”
‘The news is grim’: Omar Abdullah on Kishtwar flash flood
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the news from Kishtwar was grim.
Abdullah said that he had spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shad and briefed him about the situation. He said that all possible help was being dispatched to Kishtwar from within and outside of the union territory.
“I just spoke to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah Sahab to brief him about the developing situation in Kishtwar region of Jammu. The news is grim and accurate, verified information from the area hit by the cloud burst is slow in arriving,” said Omar on X.
Alert issued for heavy rainfall across J&K
The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has issued an alert for moderate to heavy rainfall with thunder, lightning, and gusty winds across many parts of J&K over the next four to six hours.
The affected areas will be in Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Srinagar, Ganderbal, hilly regions of Budgam, as well as parts of Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur, Jammu, Doda, and Kishtwar, the forecast said.
The Qazigund–Banihal–Ramban highway axis may also experience intense rainfall for short periods and there is a possibility of cloudburst incidents, flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones, particularly in vulnerable and hilly areas, according to the forecast.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has issued the following helpline numbers:
