CISF jawans among those killed in flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir; death toll reaches 46

SRINAGAR: Several people, including soldiers, were killed in the flash floods caused by a cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. Among the dead were two jawans from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). According to national media and news agencies, the death toll has reached 46, and at least 200 people are still missing.

Many injured people have been admitted to hospitals. So far, about 50 people have been rescued from different locations. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is leading the rescue work in Kishtwar. Authorities said that air rescue operations will begin once the weather improves. The exact number of people in the area at the time of the disaster is still unknown, as visitors from different parts of the country often come here.

The cloudburst occurred around 12:30 p.m. in the Chashoti area of Kishtwar. The flood that followed swept away an entire locality. Chashoti, situated at an altitude of 9,500 feet above sea level, is the starting point for the trek to the Himalayan temple of Mata Chandi. Temporary tents set up to provide food for pilgrims were also destroyed in the disaster. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to assess the situation.

Cloudburst in Himachal

In Himachal Pradesh, lightning floods occurred in the Shimla, Lahaul, and Spiti districts. In Rampur, Shimla district, a young woman named Mira Hamza (20) died after being hit by falling rocks. In Kullu, the Parvati River overflowed, and one person went missing. A total of 396 roads, including national highways, were closed. Many houses and bridges were destroyed. The army rescued people stranded in various places.

There are reports of tourists being trapped. The lightning floods were caused by a cloudburst near the Rishi Dogri Valley. In South Delhi’s Kalkaji, heavy rain caused a tree to fall, killing motorcyclist Sudhir Kumar (50). His daughter Priya (22) was injured. There has been heavy rain across North India since yesterday morning. A red alert was declared in Delhi. Severe waterlogging and traffic jams were reported in Delhi and in border areas such as Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad.