Kishtwar Cloudburst: 21 Victims Identified Amid Ongoing Rescue

The cloudburst in Chisoti village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on August 14, 2025, that unleashed a deadly flash flood claiming at least 46 lives. Today authorities have identified 21 of the 46 bodies recovered from the debris, with rescue operations intensifying to locate dozens still missing in the remote Himalayan village.

The disaster, which struck between noon and 1 pm, has left a trail of destruction, burying homes, shops, and vehicles under mudslides and debris flows, while the annual Machail Mata Yatra, a significant pilgrimage, has been halted in the wake of the tragedy.

Chisoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, was teeming with pilgrims when the cloudburst hit. The deluge swept away a security camp, a community kitchen (langar) serving devotees, and numerous vehicles at the bus stand, the starting point for the 8.5-kilometer trek to the 9,500-foot-high shrine. Remarkably, a temple in the heart of the flooded area stood unscathed amid the chaos.

The flash floods, fueled by torrents of muddy water, silt, and rocks, flattened a makeshift market, government buildings, and residential structures, leaving behind a grim landscape of devastation. Villagers reported seeing 10 bodies floating in the Chenab River, with efforts underway to retrieve them.

Rescue operations, involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Army, police, and local volunteers, resumed early on August 15 despite ongoing rains. Over 160 people have been pulled from the rubble, with 38 in serious condition, suffering from injuries such as shattered ribs, mud-filled lungs, and deep wounds packed with stones.

The district administration has deployed 12 excavators to clear giant boulders, uprooted trees, and electricity poles, while 65 ambulances from various agencies, including the Army and CRPF, are facilitating patient transfers. Medical infrastructure has been bolstered, with 13 doctors and 31 paramedics deployed to Sub-District Hospital Paddar, and Government Medical College Jammu prepared with 50 disaster beds and 200 units of blood.

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To aid identification, authorities have shared images of the deceased via a WhatsApp group, enabling families to confirm 21 victims so far. The Jammu and Kashmir administration established a control room in Paddar, 15 kilometers from Chisoti, with helpline numbers (9858223125, 6006701934, 9797504078, 8492886895, 8493801381, 7006463710) to assist affected families. The help desk has received numerous distress calls, with 67 people reported missing. Two nearby villages, Machail and Hamori, remain cut off, with hundreds stranded due to disrupted power and communication lines.

The scale of the tragedy prompted swift responses from leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences, with Modi monitoring the situation closely. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah canceled cultural events planned for Independence Day, focusing on relief efforts. Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured full support, while local leaders, including BJP’s Sunil Sharma and MLA Shugan Parihar, joined rescue operations, consoling grieving families. The Machail Mata Yatra, which began on July 25 and was set to conclude on September 5, remains suspended as authorities prioritize saving lives.

This disaster follows a similar cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district just nine days earlier, highlighting the vulnerability of Himalayan regions to extreme weather. Survivors described the event as sudden and chaotic, with one pilgrim recalling, “It felt like a blast,” as floodwaters decimated everything in their path. As rescue teams sift through mud and debris, the death toll may rise, with fears that more victims remain trapped. The Kishtwar cloudburst is a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictability and the urgent need for robust disaster preparedness in fragile mountain ecosystems.

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