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Large-scale rescue and relief efforts were ongoing following a massive cloudburst in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday (August 14). The disaster struck Chositi, the last motorable village en route to Machail Mata temple, between 12 noon and 1 pm, when numerous people had gathered for the Machail Mata pilgrimage. The 8.5 kilometre trek to the 9,500-feet-high shrine starts from Chositi.
Chositi is approximately 90 kilometres from Kishtwar town. A ’langar’ (community kitchen) set up for the devotees here was severely affected by the cloudburst, which caused flash floods and swept away several structures including shops and a security post.
As many as 46 people were feared dead as on Thursday evening, with over 200 more missing. Between 90-120 people had been injured, according to various media reports.
Areas such as Poonch, Udhampur, and Bandipora have also been affected.
Immediately after the calamity struck, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma mobilised rescue teams and proceeded to the site to personally oversee the operations along with the Senior Superintendent of Police.
“A massive cloudburst in Chositi area, which could result in substantial casualty. Administration has immediately swung into action, rescue team has left for the site,” Union Minister Jitendra Singh said in an X post. The minister mentioned that he also spoke to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner regarding the issue.
The annual pilgrimage to the Machail Mata shrine was suspended following the tragedy as the authorities marshalled all resources for rescue operations at Chositi, officials informed. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were dispatched from Udhampur to Kishtwar, while the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps mobilised for rescue and relief work.
Condolences poured in from President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, and others.
Cultural events planned for Independence Day morning in Jammu and Kashmir have been cancelled, the union territory’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced.