Kishtwar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday visited Chasoti village in Kishtwar district to meet families affected by the flash floods caused by a cloudburst.
During his visit, CM Abdullah reviewed ongoing relief and rescue operations and received a detailed briefing from Army personnel. Using a Virtual Reality (VR) headset, he assessed the extent of the destruction and assured that immediate relief measures would be provided to support the affected families.
Rescue operations in the village are being carried out jointly by the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and the district administration.
The cloudburst, which struck along the Machail Mata Yatra route on Thursday, triggered flash floods, causing widespread destruction and claiming at least 60 lives. On Friday, CM Abdullah confirmed the deaths and stated that the number of missing persons was still being verified.
“Around 60 bodies have been recovered. The number of missing persons is being assessed. Once rescue and relief operations conclude, we will review whether the administration could have taken preventive measures after the Met Department issued warnings advising people to avoid unnecessary travel. The Army, NDRF, SDRF, Police, and district administration are actively involved in the rescue efforts, with workers from various political parties also assisting on the ground,” Omar Abdullah told reporters.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh visited Chasoti late on Friday evening to assess the situation firsthand.
Meanwhile, sources confirmed that the Indian Air Force has been placed on standby to support operations. Two Mi-17 helicopters and one Advanced Light Helicopter are ready at Jammu and Udhampur for deployment if required.
Earlier, in his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed solidarity with citizens affected by natural disasters across the country.
