Explosives Blast Boulders in Desperate Kishtwar Rescue

A catastrophic cloudburst that struck Chisoti village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday has left a trail of devastation, claiming 60 lives, including three CISF personnel and a Special Police Officer, with 82 people still missing. On Saturday, rescue teams deployed explosives to shatter massive boulders obstructing relief efforts, as the race against time intensified to save survivors trapped under debris in the remote Padder sub-division village, located 90 kilometers from Kishtwar town.

The disaster, which hit at 12:25 p.m. on August 14, unleashed flash floods that obliterated a makeshift market, a langar (community kitchen) for the Machail Mata Yatra, and a security outpost. Sixteen residential houses, government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-meter bridge, and over a dozen vehicles were destroyed, with giant boulders littering the area, particularly around the worst-hit langar site. So far, 167 people have been rescued, many critically injured, and 50 bodies have been identified and handed over to families after legal formalities.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Chisoti on Saturday morning, announcing ex-gratia relief from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund: Rs 2 lakh for families of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those with severe injuries, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries. For structural damages, Rs 1 lakh was promised for fully destroyed homes, Rs 50,000 for severely damaged ones, and Rs 25,000 for partially damaged structures. Abdullah met bereaved families, assuring long-term rehabilitation and earning praise from locals like Rangeel Singh, who expressed hope for compensation, relocation, and jobs for victims’ kin. However, some residents voiced frustration over Union Minister Jitendra Singh’s brief late-night visit on Friday, feeling their concerns were overlooked.

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The rescue operation, bolstered by additional Army troops, including the White Knight Corps and Rashtriya Rifles, involves the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, Border Roads Organisation, and local volunteers. Nearly a dozen earth-movers, specialized equipment, and dog squads have been deployed to clear rubble and search for survivors, despite intermittent rains complicating efforts. Explosives were used Saturday evening to blast oversized boulders that earth-movers couldn’t shift, as the window to find survivors narrows.

High-ranking officials, including Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, General Officer Commanding of Army’s Delta Force Major General A P S Bal, CISF Deputy Inspector General M K Yadav, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, and Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma, are overseeing operations on-site. Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Jammu and Kashmir DGP Nalin Prabhat also reviewed efforts late Friday. The Indian Air Force has Mi-17 helicopters and an Advanced Light Helicopter on standby for evacuation and relief.

The annual Machail Mata Yatra, which began July 25 and was set to end September 5, remains suspended for the third consecutive day. The 8.5-kilometer trek to the 9,500-foot-high shrine starts from Chisoti, a bustling base camp for pilgrims when the cloudburst struck. The disaster’s scale has drawn national attention, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu expressing condolences and assuring support. The J&K administration has set up a control room in Paddar, 15 kilometers from Chisoti, to assist stranded pilgrims and residents, though power outages have hampered communication with nearby Machail and Hamori villages.

As rescue efforts continue, locals fear the death toll may rise, with eyewitnesses claiming hundreds may be buried under debris. The tragedy underscores the fragility of the Himalayan region, coming just nine days after flash floods devastated Uttarakhand’s Dharali village. Chief Minister Abdullah has called for an investigation into whether administrative lapses contributed to the disaster, given prior weather warnings, signaling a push for accountability and better preparedness in the face of such calamities.

Also Read: Kishtwar Cloudburst: "Urgent Mission to Save Lives" Says Union Minister Singh