31 still missing after August cloudburst devastates Kishtwar’s Chasoti village, says Government

Srinagar, Oct 30: More than two months after a massive cloudburst struck the remote Chasoti village in Padder area of Kishtwar district, 31 people are still missing while 63 have been confirmed dead, the Jammu and Kashmir government has said.

In a written reply to a question tabled by MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma, the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department said the devastating cloudburst on August 14 caused extensive destruction and loss of life. The flash floods that followed swept away homes, vehicles, a community kitchen (langar), and other infrastructure along the Machail Mata Yatra route, forcing the suspension of the annual pilgrimage.

The government informed that 19 houses were affected, of which 16 were completely destroyed and three partially damaged. Two of these households were already listed as beneficiaries under the PMAY-G housing scheme.

According to the reply, 63 bodies have been identified while three remain unidentified. Five human limbs were also recovered from the debris. The incident left 131 people injured, with several sustaining serious wounds.

Relief has been sanctioned under multiple heads, including the State Disaster Response Fund, Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, and Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Families of deceased victims have been sanctioned between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia compensation, while those whose houses were destroyed or damaged are receiving financial aid ranging from Rs 6,500 to Rs 1.3 lakh, depending on the extent of damage.

The government said it intends to construct new houses for all families who lost their shelters under the PMAY-G Awaas Plus 2024 scheme. So far, six families have been surveyed, while the remaining will be covered once the Awaas Plus App becomes fully functional.

The reply added that large-scale search and rescue operations were immediately launched by the Army, NDRF, SDRF, and local administration. It said a proposal for 5,061 houses, including those damaged in Chasoti, has been submitted to the Ministry of Rural Development for approval under a special package for natural calamities.

The government said Chasoti village, located at the last motorable point on the Machail Mata Yatra route, suffered immense devastation as many victims were local residents and pilgrims.