Twelve bodies have been recovered after a massive cloudburst struck Chishoti village in the Padder sub-division of Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday.
The incident occurred along the pilgrimage route of the annual Machail Mata Yatra. Officials have suspended the yatra and launched a large-scale rescue and relief operation.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of life. “Anguished by cloudburst in Chositi Kishtwar. Condolences to bereaved families and prayers for quick recovery of injured. Directed Civil, Police, Army, NDRF and SDRF officials to strengthen the rescue and relief operations,” he posted on X.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he had spoken to Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma about the situation. “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,” Singh said.
Deputy Commissioner Sharma and Senior Superintendent of Police Naresh Singh are travelling to the site to oversee operations. A team led by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Padder is already at the location. Officials confirmed the recovery of 12 bodies but said the final toll could rise.
The Machail Mata Yatra draws thousands of devotees from across Jammu division. Chishoti is the last point where pilgrims park vehicles before walking to the shrine at an altitude of 2,800 metres. This year’s yatra began on July 25 and was scheduled to end on September 5.
Local residents reported significant damage to makeshift shops and other temporary structures set up for the pilgrimage. Poor mobile connectivity in the remote area is slowing the flow of official updates.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma said he rushed to the site after receiving calls from local workers. “I have received information about the cloudburst at Chishoti, the last point for vehicle parking. NDRF teams and other rescuers are launching a full-scale relief and rescue operation,” he told reporters.
Heavy monsoon rains are affecting many parts of northern India. The cloudburst in Kishtwar follows a series of similar incidents this season, including recent destruction in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
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