Officials stated that at least 10 people were dead after a devastating cloudburst struck Chishoti village in the Padder sub-division of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday. The remote Himalayan village is located on the sacred Machail Mata Yatra track and many of the fatalities were likely the result of a tragedy that occurred within a few minutes while residents and pilgrims were traversing perilous monsoon season.
Witnesses reported a loud noise of sudden thundering followed by large walls of mud and water and the flowing debris that rushed through the village towards the Chenab River. “It all happened within minutes. There was little time to escape,” a villager told reporters, holding back tears as he gestured toward the destroyed buildings.
Union Minister reacted about cloudburst
Union Minister Jitendra Singh has said that he was informed by local MLA and opposition leader Sunil Kumar Sharma and immediately phoned Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma. “A huge cloudburst in Chositi area may lead to heavy casualty. The administration has moved into action, rescue teams are en route, and medical arrangements are being made,” Singh tweeted, promising all the help possible.
#Kishtwar Update:
Just now recieved a call from LoP J&K and local MLA Sh Sunil Kumar Sharma. Also spoke to CM Sh @OmarAbdullah.
The additional rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach the site of the cloud burst, yet they are trying despite all the constraints.
Road…
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) August 14, 2025
Rescue groups of the administration, Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been sent to the area, but the authorities say it will not be easy to reach Chishoti because of its mountainous terrain and destroyed road appraches.
The disaster follows neighbouring Himachal Pradesh fighting a killing monsoon season which has already taken the lives of 241 people since June 20, with 126 fatalities as a result of rain-induced disasters like landslides, cloudbursts, flash flooding, and lightning.
ALSO READ: Over 1,000 Evacuated as Cloudburst Triggers Deadly Floods, Landslides in Uttarkashi
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
