JAMMU (Kashmir English): The death toll from the massive cloudburst that devastated a remote mountain village in Kishtwar district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), has risen to 65, including two Indian Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.
According to Kashmir Media Service, on Thursday, the disaster struck Chositi, the last motorable point en route to the revered Hindus Machail Mata temple.
At the time, a large number of Hindus had gathered for the annual Yatra, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to conclude on September 5.
The death toll could go up as more people are believed to be trapped, officials said. The condition of 38 among the rescued is said to be critical.
Several victims are in a critical condition with broken ribs and legs, their injuries reflecting the sheer force of the cloudburst and subsequent landslides.
“Most have severe injuries — some on the chest, some on the head and some on the legs,” medical staff said.
Health officials also suspected sand and mud lodged deep inside patients’ throats, lungs and wounds.
The flash floods also swept away an Indian army camp and several vehicles parked at the bus stand. A langar (community kitchen) set up for devotees bore the brunt of the cloudburst, which caused flash floods and washed away several structures, including shops and an Indian forces outpost.
“It was a sudden cloudburst. We had left the shop close to the langar and had walked almost a kilometer when hell broke out.
Flash floods decimated everything that came in the way. Within minutes, langar disappeared,” a pilgrim from Jammu said.
Kishtwar
Kishtwar is a town, municipality and administrative headquarter of the Kishtwar district in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The district was carved out of the Doda district in 2007 and is located in the Jammu division.
