A massive cloudburst in the Chashoti area of Paddar, Kishtwar district, has left at least 46 people feared dead and dozens more injured. The incident, which occurred late Wednesday night, triggered flash floods that swept away structures, including a community kitchen serving pilgrims of the Machail Yatra.
Local authorities, along with the Army, NDRF, SDRF, and police, have launched extensive rescue and relief operations. Approximately 180 NDRF personnel equipped with modern rescue equipment were dispatched from Udhampur, while the Air Force has been placed on standby for possible evacuations. Rescue teams are prioritizing aid to the elderly, women, and children displaced by the disaster, providing temporary shelters, food, and medical assistance.
Officials warn that the death toll may rise as many people remain missing. The Meteorological Centre in Srinagar has issued a fresh alert for moderate to heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds across Jammu & Kashmir, raising fears of further landslides and flooding in vulnerable areas.
The scale of destruction has prompted the cancellation of Independence Day cultural events in the region, though formal ceremonial functions will go ahead. The washed-out road to the site, coupled with unstable weather, is hampering helicopter operations and slowing ground access.
This is the latest in a series of extreme weather events in Jammu & Kashmir with officials pointing to climate change as a contributing factor to the increasing frequency and intensity of such disasters. Relief work is expected to continue for several days as authorities search for survivors and assess damage in remote hamlets along the affected valleys.