Kishtwar: 21 Out Of 46 Dead Identified; NDRF Team Reaches Cloudburst-Hit Village

At least 46 people have been killed while several others are still missing as a cloudburst hit Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Friday reached Kishtwar's cloudburst-hit Chisoti village, officials said.

"The NDRF team is joining the operation currently underway in the village. They reached Gulabgarh late in the night," Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Pankaj Sharma told PTI.

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have identified 21 bodies of the 46 that were retrieved from Chisoti village.

Rescue Ops Underway

Despite incessant rainfall, the rescue and relief operations resumed early Friday following a night-long pause due to inclement weather conditions.

According to PTI, so far, 167 people have been rescued in an injured condition. While 69 others are reported missing by their relatives, several others are believed to be trapped following the deadly deluge. Of those rescued on Thursday, 38 are in serious condition, officials said.

Over five columns of 60 army personnel each, totalling 300 troops, along with medical detachments of the White Knight Corps, have been deployed who have been working tirelessly in coordination with the police, SDRF, and other civilian agencies to save lives and assist those in need.

Kishtwar Cloudburst: Flash Flood Flattens Buildings, Temples, Bridges

The flash flood triggered by the deadly cloudburst destroyed at least 16 residential houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, and a 30-metre span bridge, besides over a dozen vehicles, officials told PTI.

Videos showed torrents of muddy water, silt, and rubble tearing through the steep slopes, destroying everything in the way. Houses folded over like a pack of cards, rocks came tumbling down, blocking roads and rescue paths, the mudslide turning the verdant landscape to a grim brown-grey.

Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma, along with Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Naresh Singh, are camping in the area to oversee the multi-agency operation on the ground.

A large number of people had gathered there for the annual Machail Mata yatra that began on July 25 and was scheduled to end on September 5. The 8.5 km trek to the 9,500-feet shrine begins from Chositi, which is about 90 km from Kishtwar town. The yatra remained suspended for the second day on Friday.

Helpline:

The helpline numbers for five officials been put on duty for the control room are: 9858223125, 6006701934, 9797504078, 8492886895, 8493801381, and 7006463710.

Since the tragedy, the help desk has received numerous distress calls, an official said, adding that authorities are working to trace 67 people reported missing by families.

A senior official told PTI, “Out of 45 bodies retrieved so far, 21 have been identified by their families. The rest are being identified.” He added, “We have shared pictures of the bodies with them so that they can be identified,” noting that families have been calling to check on the whereabouts of their loved ones following the cloudburst.