Kishtwar : At least 33 people, including two CISF jawans, have died and over 120 have been injured after a massive cloudburst struck Chositi village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar on Thursday, triggering flash floods and large-scale destruction. More than 220 people are missing as rescue teams race to find survivors.
Rescue teams rushed to the scene immediately, with large-scale operations now underway to search for survivors and evacuate those trapped. Videos from the site show pilgrims being hurriedly evacuated from the starting point of the yatra. Another clip captures a raging flash flood triggered by the cloudburst, with authorities shouting for people to move back to safety.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he has briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the situation in the Kishtwar region. He noted that confirmed information from the cloudburst-hit area was slow to come in, but “all possible resources are being mobilised from within and beyond J&K to manage the rescue operations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and support. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst and flooding in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the incident in Chositi, near the shrine, “could result in substantial casualties.” He said he spoke to Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma after receiving an urgent alert from LoP Jammu and Kashmir and local MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma.
