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Officials said nearly 46 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families, while at least 75 people remain missing.
Cloudburst In J&K: At Least 60 Dead, Devastating Visuals From Chositi Village
Search and relief work continued for the third straight day on Saturday in Chisoti village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, where a cloudburst earlier this week claimed more than 60 lives and injured over 100.
Officials said nearly 46 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families, while at least 75 people remain missing.
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Locals, however, fear the actual figure could be much higher as scores may have been swept away in the floods and trapped under debris, boulders and logs.
Among the confirmed victims are two CISF personnel and a Special Police Officer.
The disaster hit Chisoti — the last road-accessible settlement en route to the Machail Mata shrine — around 12:25 pm on August 14, destroying homes, shops, and vital infrastructure.
Kishtwar Flash Floods: Top Points
Rescue Push: Authorities have deployed close to a dozen excavators and heavy machinery, backed by NDRF dog squads and specialised equipment, to speed up recovery operations.
CM Visits Site: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the affected area on Saturday. Briefed by Army personnel, he also used a VR headset to gauge the scale of destruction.
Widespread Damage: The floods washed away a pilgrim market, a yatra community kitchen, a security post, 16 houses, several government offices, three temples, four water mills, a 30-metre bridge, and more than a dozen vehicles.
Air Force Support: The IAF has kept two Mi-17 helicopters and an Advanced Light Helicopter on standby at Jammu and Udhampur to assist in relief efforts.
Union Minister’s Visit: Union Minister Jitendra Singh, accompanied by J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat, reached Chisoti late Friday night to assess ongoing operations.
Pilgrimage Halted: The annual Machail Mata Yatra, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to end on September 5, remains suspended for a third day. The 8.5 km trek to the shrine at 9,500 feet starts from Chisoti, about 90 km from Kishtwar town.
Final Rites Ongoing: Of the bodies identified, 34 have been handed over to families in Kishtwar, Jammu, Udhampur and Doda districts, with most already cremated.
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Jammu and Kashmir, India, India
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