J&K Cloudburst | August 14, 2025 —Early Thursday morning, a huge cloudburst hit the Chositi (Chashoti) area of the Kishtwar district. It caused sudden flash floods along the holy route of the Machail Mata Yatra, which left at least 10 people missing and many more thought to be dead. The disaster has made a lot of people, including pilgrims and locals, very scared, and officials are working quickly to save lives.
Officials in the area say the cloudburst happened in the outlying Paddar subdivision and sent a huge amount of water, mud, and debris into the valley. The sudden downpour destroyed temporary shelters, ruined parts of the pilgrimage route, and messed up phone lines in the area. Every year, thousands of people go on the famous Machail Mata Yatra pilgrimage to the shrine in the upper Himalayas.
People who were there said the water levels rose quickly and alarmingly, giving people little time to respond. Some people were swept away by the fast-moving water, and many more have not been found yet.
Rescue operations are now underway
The police, the Army, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have all sent rescue teams to the scene. There are helicopters ready to help evacuate and carry the injured. The local government has set up temporary aid camps to house survivors, and medical teams have been sent to help those who need it.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he had talked to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma and promised that the government would do everything it could to help with relief and recovery. Singh said, “We are doing everything we can to save lives and get things back to normal.”
LG’s Statement and What People Said About it
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was very sad about what happened and sent his condolences to the families of the dead. He told the security and civil authorities to make sure that rescue operations happened quickly and that the victims got all the help they needed.
People have been very emotional on social media about the event, and many are praying for the safety of those who are still missing. People all over the country have shown their support for the families of the dead.
A History of Being Vulnerable
For Kishtwar, this is not the first time that clouds have come together quickly. Extreme weather events are more likely to happen in this area because it is hilly and close to glacial streams. Experts say that climate change is making these kinds of disasters happen more often and with more force in the Himalayas.
Present Situation
Officials say the situation is “critical but under control,” but they haven’t said how many people have died yet. It’s likely that rescue and aid work will go on all night. Authorities have told both travellers and locals to stay away from the affected areas until the situation improves.
