Kishtwar, Aug 18, KNT: Braving heavy rains and difficult terrain, rescuers on Monday continued large-scale search operations in Chisoti village of Kishtwar district, five days after a devastating cloudburst killed dozens and left scores missing. Officials confirmed that 61 people, including three Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and one Special Police Officer (SPO), lost their lives in the calamity, while over 100 others sustained injuries.
The tragedy struck Chisoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, on August 14. Flash floods triggered by the cloudburst swept through the settlement, flattening a makeshift market and a langar (community kitchen) site set up for the annual Machail Mata Yatra. At least 16 residential houses and several government buildings were reduced to rubble, while three temples, four water mills, a 30-metre-long bridge, and more than a dozen vehicles were also destroyed.
Rescue teams, donning raincoats and operating in relentless downpours, were seen working at multiple locations, particularly near the main impact site close to the langar. Officials said heavy machinery, including over a dozen earth movers, along with sniffer dogs, were deployed to sift through the debris in search of the missing. “Today is the fifth day of the operation, and combined efforts are underway to recover the mortal remains of the missing persons. The weather is challenging in view of the rain. We also have a warning for heavy showers, but still we are trying our best,” a CISF officer said.
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The joint rescue and relief mission includes personnel from the Army, police, CISF, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), civil administration, and local volunteers. Officials confirmed that about half a dozen controlled explosions were carried out over the past two days to break massive boulders that were obstructing search efforts.
On Sunday, Army engineers completed construction of a Bailey bridge over the Chisoti nullah, restoring vital connectivity to the affected village and the Machail Mata shrine. In addition, the Army inducted all-terrain vehicles to reach inaccessible pockets where debris remains piled up.
The Machail Mata Yatra, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to conclude on September 5, has been suspended for the fifth consecutive day. The annual pilgrimage attracts thousands of devotees who trek the 8.5-km uphill route from Chisoti to the 9,500-foot-high shrine.
Officials said the list of missing persons has been revised, with around 50 people still unaccounted for. Rescuers continue to work under severe weather warnings, but hope is fading as each passing day makes survival chances slimmer.
The tragedy has left a deep scar on the local community, with families awaiting word of their missing relatives. Relief camps have been set up, but the scale of devastation has made recovery and rehabilitation a long and arduous process. (CNS)
