Jammu: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday visited patients at the Government Medical College here who were injured in the cloudburst and flash floods that hit a remote village in Kishtwar district two days ago.
Singh said search and rescue operations are ongoing around the clock, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitoring the situation. “So far, 53 bodies have been recovered,” he told reporters.
He added, “The Prime Minister held a review meeting on the very first day, spoke to the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister on Friday, and continues to assess the situation regularly.”
Singh, who visited the disaster-hit Chisoti village on Friday night, was briefed on the treatment of the injured. “With the Prime Minister personally monitoring efforts, every government department is fully active. Compensation will also be higher than initially expected,” he said, noting that the Union Territory government has no reservations in this matter.
He highlighted the involvement of the Army, BSF, CRPF, other central forces, and state administration in rescue operations. “The DGP himself is stationed there, and the Border Roads Organisation is helping clear the large amounts of debris,” Singh said.
Describing the event as a “big catastrophe,” he said, “Compared to similar calamities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, this is the largest so far. This is a testing time for all of us.”
Singh explained that Air Force operations could not take place in Chisoti due to weather constraints, though two IAF helicopters remain stationed at Udhampur for deployment. “Vehicles carrying equipment were dispatched overnight to support rescue operations,” he added.
On casualties, Singh said, “While news channels report varying figures, official data confirms 53 bodies recovered till last night, of which all but four have been identified.”
He praised the hospital staff for their care, noting that most patients suffered psychological trauma rather than severe physical injuries. “Sixty-six patients were hospitalised. Currently, 52 remain under treatment, and the rest have been discharged. Most injuries are soft tissue injuries from being trapped in mud rather than under rocks, which spared head injuries.”
Regarding the ongoing rescue, Singh said it continues day and night, hampered mainly by heavy debris. “One worker from a community kitchen trapped under debris was rescued safely today. Operations are cautious; heavy machinery cannot be used recklessly.”
Help desks are being set up in hospitals to provide information to affected families.
On the influx of pilgrims and infrastructure, Singh said the Machail Mata temple saw mostly local visitors before 2014. “After government improvements, including toilets, electricity, water points, solar and mobile towers, and roads, the number of pilgrims increased. The new bridge was unfortunately washed away,” he said. He added that the timing coincided with Janmashtami, other festivals, and a weekend, drawing many from Udhampur, Jammu, and Reasi districts.
Addressing the suspension of the yatra, Singh said prior warnings were difficult. “The meteorological department forecast rain, but predicting a cloudburst in advance is nearly impossible. The calamity lasted barely 15 seconds but caused massive destruction. Future pilgrimages will be regulated to mitigate such risks,” he concluded.
