Kishtwar cloudburst: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meets survivors, directs authorities to intensify relief ops
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was unable to visit cloudburst-affected Chashoti in Kishtwar’s Paddar area today because of bad weather.
Instead, he travelled to Jammu, where he met survivors at Government Medical College (GMC) and later chaired a high-level meeting at Raj Bhavan to review the ongoing relief and rescue operations.
The cloudburst, which struck Chashoti village on August 14 during the Machail Mata Yatra, has so far claimed 65 lives, while more than 34 people remain missing. The sudden floods swept away houses, tents, and large parts of the pilgrimage route.
Survivors recalled terrifying scenes as water and debris surged through the narrow valley, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.
According to authorities, Singh was briefed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, senior Army officers, and civil administration officials at Raj Bhawan. He directed all agencies to intensify operations despite the difficult terrain and poor weather.
He assured support from the Centre in providing relief and rehabilitation to the affected families.
Earlier, when he visited GMC Jammu, where several injured survivors are being treated, Singh enquired about their health and praised the doctors and staff for their timely response.
Joint teams of the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, and local administration are continuing extensive search operations in Chashoti. Drones, sniffer dogs, and heavy machinery are being used to trace the missing. In many cases, only body parts have been recovered, forcing authorities to carry out DNA testing for identification before handing over remains to families.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh also visited Chashoti to oversee relief operations and meet victims’ relatives. He said every available resource is being used to trace the missing and assist survivors.
The search is likely to continue for several more days, given the scale of destruction. Special prayers were held at the Machail Mata temple in memory of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.
India