65 and counting: Why assessing toll of Kishtwar cloudburst is proving difficult

While the Air Force is on standby for relief and rescue operations, the cloudy weather is becoming a hindrance in air operations.

Speaking to reporters, J&K’s Minister for Agricultural Production and Rural Development, Javid Ahmad Dar, confirmed that 65 bodies have been recovered but added that many are still missing.

“There is no definite number of the missing people so far, but the number of deaths is going up,” an official told The Indian Express. “One of the witnesses said that there were around 200 people near the langar when it was swept away.”

They said that the biggest challenge right now is to trace the bodies, as some have been buried under the mounds of debris. “Some bodies have been swept away many kilometres down the stream,” he said. “It will take many days to retrieve all the bodies”.

“I’ll be leaving for Kishtwar later this afternoon and will be going to the scene of the cloudburst tragedy early tomorrow morning to see, first hand, the extent of damage. I will review the rescue operation & assess what further help is required,” the Chief Minister’s office posted on X.

Officials said that the inclement weather and rough terrain have been posing difficulties in relief and rescue operations. The Indian Air Force, which is waiting for things to improve, has kept choppers on standby at its Udhampur base.

The massive cloudburst struck the Chishoti village of Padder in Kishtwar on Thursday, at a time when pilgrims were on the annual Shri Mata Machail yatra. A large number of pilgrims were swept by the flash floods and many homes were damaged.