Jammu: Most of the 34 cloudburst victims who have been identified and handed over to their families were cremated in their hometowns across the Jammu division on Friday, officials said.
A massive cloudburst triggered flash floods in Chasoti, the last motorable village on the route to Machail Mata temple in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday. The disaster claimed 60 lives, while 76 people remain missing, according to reports from their families.
Meanwhile, another NDRF team with sniffer dogs joined ongoing rescue and relief operations in the cloudburst-hit area.
Officials confirmed that 34 bodies were identified and returned to families in Kishtwar, Jammu, Udhampur, and Doda during the day, with most victims cremated. Among them, eight victims from Chasoti were laid to rest by their relatives, while the funeral of retired soldier Vaneet Sharma took place in his native village, Chansari Mughal Maidan.
The last rites of 23-year-old Gehna Raina, a resident of Bakshi Nagar in Jammu, were also performed. Raina’s father, Bharat Bhushan, and younger sister survived the disaster with injuries, and her body was recovered after an arduous eight-hour search.
Jammu and Kashmir Minister Satish Sharma visited several victims’ homes to offer condolences. He expressed profound grief over the loss, prayed for the departed souls, and extended heartfelt sympathies to the families. The minister assured the bereaved households that the government stands with them and that all necessary support and relief measures would be provided promptly.
Sharma described the incident as a tragedy that has shaken the entire region and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to provide full assistance and rehabilitation to the victims’ families. He also attended several funerals held across Jammu district.
Meanwhile, rescue operations continue on a war footing, with nearly a dozen earth movers and specialized equipment deployed to locate the missing persons. Officials said that so far, 76 individuals remain unaccounted for, and efforts are ongoing to trace them.
