Cloudburst Hits Kishtwar, Casualties Feared

SRINAGAR: A powerful cloudburst tore through the Chositi area of Padder in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, inundating the Machail Mata Yatra route with flash floods.

Officials have warned of possible heavy casualties, though no official figures have been confirmed yet. Swift rescue and relief operations are underway, with teams deployed to the disaster site.

Union MoS Dr. Jitendra Singh and Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Pankaj Sharma have acknowledged the severity of the situation. The Meteorological Department has sounded alerts for more intense rainfall, cautioning of potential cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides in the coming hours.

Meanwhile, authorities have placed the region on high alert as efforts to locate and assist survivors continue and more details are awaited.