Jammu and Kashmir: Death toll in Kishtwar Chasoti village cloudburst mounts to 65, 21 bodies identified
PTC Web Desk: A devastating cloudburst struck Chasoti village in Kishtwar’s Paddar subdivision of Jammu and Kashmir at around 12.30 pm on August 14, sweeping away buses, tents, langars, and shops set up for the annual Machail Mata pilgrimage. The deluge of water and debris from the surrounding hills left 65 persons dead, with 21 bodies identified so far.
Rescue teams have saved 167 persons, 38 of whom are critically injured. According to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, more than 100 persons remain missing. Former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah expressed fears that over 500 could still be trapped under the debris, while a party member estimated the number could be as high as 1,000.
The disaster occurred at the first halt of the pilgrimage route, just before the journey was to begin. Thousands of devotees had gathered in Chasoti, located about 90 km from Kishtwar town and along the path to the Machail Mata temple. The region, nestled in Paddar Valley at altitudes ranging from 1,818 to 3,888 metre, is prone to fast-moving water flows due to steep slopes and glacier-fed streams.
Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Sharma confirmed that NDRF teams, along with National Rifles soldiers, the White Knight Corps medical team, Jammu and Kashmir Police, SDRF, and other agencies, are engaged in search-and-rescue operations. Five groups of 60 personnel each—totaling 300—are already on the ground, with additional teams en route.
Disturbing visuals show victims with mud-filled lungs, broken ribs, and scattered limbs. Locals, security forces, and police struggled for hours to dig out survivors from the sludge and carry them on their backs to hospitals through treacherous terrain.
The annual Machail Mata Yatra, which runs from July 25 to September 5, covers a 210-km route from Jammu to Kishtwar, followed by a 19.5-km motorable stretch to Chasoti and an 8.5-km trek to the shrine.
- With inputs from agencies
