Race Against Time: Efforts Intensify to Find Missing After Devastating Kishtwar Cloudburst

Efforts continue in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, as multiple agencies search for 33 missing individuals after a devastating cloudburst. With 65 confirmed dead, including security personnel, rescue teams work at key impact sites. Senior officials oversee operations amid substantial destruction, while the annual Machail Mata yatra remains suspended.

A relentless search operation is ongoing in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, where multiple agencies are working tirelessly to locate 33 missing persons following a catastrophic cloudburst. Officials confirm that the death toll has risen to 65, which includes several security personnel, as the tragedy unfolded during the Machail Mata yatra.

The search and rescue teams, comprising police, Army, NDRF, and SDRF, focus on three heavily impacted locations, employing heavy machinery and specialized trucks. The operation is being supervised by top IAS and IPS officers, deployed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, ensuring coordination in the challenging terrain.

The cloudburst has left a path of ruin, destroying infrastructure and halting the annual pilgrimage. While authorities remain hopeful, the suspension of the yatra has been inevitable as the community grapples with the aftermath. Despite adverse conditions, a group of devotees will continue their journey to the shrine later in August.

(With inputs from agencies.)