Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Aug 21: Rescue operations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district entered seventh consecutive day on Wednesday, following the devastating cloudburst that triggered flash floods in Chasoti village on August 14, officials said on Wednesday.
The officials said that four specially trained sniffer dogs from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with eight handlers from Punjab, have been deployed to assist in the search for missing persons.
The dogs, trained to detect human remains, have already helped in locating four bodies and continue to be used extensively across debris-laden zones, they said.
The disaster has so far resulted in 65 deaths, with over 70 individuals still reported missing. The officials said bodies are still being recovered from various locations near the site of the cloudburst. Search operations are ongoing across multiple sectors, with teams using heavy machinery and manual methods to locate the missing.
Locals have been moved to nearby villages where temporary relief camps have been established to provide food, shelter, and medical aid.
The cloudburst struck near Chasoti village, which is located on the route of the annual Machail Mata Yatra, a major pilgrimage that draws thousands of devotees to the Chandi Mata temple in the remote Paddar Valley. The pilgrimage, which began on July 25 and is scheduled to continue until September 5, was halted due to the disaster.
“Rescue teams from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and civil administration are coordinating efforts to find missing persons and restore basic services in the affected areas,” they added.
Given the region’s difficult terrain, specialized all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have been deployed to access remote zones. Earth movers are also being used to clear large sections of debris, particularly around a langar site where many pilgrims were gathered at the time of the incident.
Officials said the primary focus remains on locating missing individuals, with continued support from central and state agencies. Adverse weather conditions and the rugged terrain have posed challenges to the operation, but efforts continue across all impacted zones.
Local administration confirmed that the search will continue until all possible areas are covered and those missing are accounted for.
