Tragedy in Kishtwar: Cloudburst Claims 61 Lives, Sparks National Outcry

The death toll from a cloudburst in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, has risen to 61 with ongoing rescue operations. The disaster has spurred efforts from military and civilian teams to restore connectivity and aid victims, prompting calls for the event to be declared a national calamity.

The devastating cloudburst in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, has raised the death toll to 61 as rescue operations continue for a fourth day. Officials reported the recovery of another body on Sunday, with the number of missing persons now at 50, while three bodies remain unidentified.

Efforts to restore connectivity to the Machail Mata shrine intensified with Army engineers working on a bailey bridge, even as rescuers conducted controlled explosions to remove giant boulders hindering progress. More than a dozen earth-movers and NDRF resources, including dog squads, were utilized in the operation.

Political figures have called for the disaster to be declared a national calamity, urging the government to compensate victims. Questions on infrastructure and safety measures have arisen, highlighting the need for further action in safeguarding the region's fragile ecology as the annual Machail Mata Yatra remains suspended.

(With inputs from agencies.)