CM Omar Abdullah Reaches Cloudburst-Hit Chasoti Village, Reviews Rescue and Relief Efforts Amid Grim Losses
CHASOTI (J&K), August 16: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday visited Chasoti village in Kishtwar district to personally assess the devastation caused by the catastrophic cloudburst and subsequent flash floods that left at least 60 people dead, over 100 injured, and many more missing.
Abdullah, who arrived in Kishtwar on Friday evening, travelled by road to the disaster site early Saturday morning, accompanied by his political advisor Nasir Aslam Wani. Upon reaching, he was briefed by senior Army officers supervising the ongoing relief and rescue mission. In a significant move towards better situational understanding, the chief minister was also provided with a virtual reality headset to visualize the extent of destruction wrought by the natural calamity.
The flash floods, triggered by the cloudburst on August 14 at around 12:25 pm, struck Chasoti, the last motorable village on the route to the Machail Mata temple with unprecedented force. In a matter of minutes, the fury of nature flattened a makeshift market set up for the pilgrimage, washed away a community kitchen and a security outpost, and caused extensive damage to homes and local infrastructure.
According to initial assessments, 16 residential houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-meter-long bridge, and over a dozen vehicles were either destroyed or severely damaged. Families in the area have reported 75 people missing, though locals fear the actual number could be far higher, with many believed to be swept away or buried under massive boulders, logs, and rubble.
The Chief Minister expressed deep anguish over the tragedy, interacting with survivors and assuring them that the administration is making every possible effort to trace the missing, support the bereaved families, and restore some semblance of normalcy. He praised the combined efforts of the Army, SDRF, NDRF, police, and local volunteers working under harsh weather and terrain constraints to save lives.
The calamity has also brought the ongoing Machail Mata Yatra to a standstill, with the pilgrimage suspended for the third consecutive day. The annual yatra, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to conclude on September 5, starts from Chasoti and involves an 8.5-kilometre trek to the revered shrine situated at an altitude of 9,500 feet.
Addressing the scale of human suffering and infrastructural loss, Omar Abdullah assured that the government would provide all necessary assistance, from immediate relief measures to long-term rehabilitation. He reiterated that the focus of the administration is not only on rescue but also on ensuring adequate medical care, food supplies, and psychological support to those affected.
