The disaster hit between noon and 1 pm, when a large gathering of devotees had assembled for the Machail Mata Yatra. Chositi, the last motorable village en route to the 9,500-feet-high shrine, lies about 90 km from the town of Kishtwar and marks the start of the 8.5-km trek to the temple
Damaged structures and uprooted trees at Chasoti village, in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, on Thursday. PIC/PTI
A massive cloudburst struck the remote village of Chositi in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, killing at least 20 people and causing widespread damage, reported PTI. Rescue teams have so far evacuated 98 people, but officials fear the death toll could rise further.
The disaster hit between noon and 1 pm, when a large gathering of devotees had assembled for the Machail Mata Yatra. Chositi, the last motorable village en route to the 9,500-feet-high shrine, lies about 90 km from the town of Kishtwar and marks the start of the 8.5-km trek to the temple.
A community kitchen (‘langar’) set up for the pilgrims bore the brunt of the cloudburst, with flash floods sweeping away several structures including shops and a security outpost, reported PTI. Several houses clustered in the foothills were also damaged.
Immediately after the calamity, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma mobilised rescue teams and rushed to the spot with the Senior Superintendent of Police to supervise operations. Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from Udhampur have also been deployed.
Speaking about the tragic incident, Union Minister Jitendra Singh wrote in a post on X: “A massive cloudburst in Chositi area, which could result in substantial casualty. Administration has immediately swung into action, rescue team has left for the site.” He said he had also spoken to the deputy commissioner.
The annual Machail Mata Yatra has been suspended as all resources are being directed towards the rescue effort.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the tragedy. In a post on X, he wrote: “Anguished by cloudburst in Chositi Kishtwar. Condolences to bereaved families and prayers for quick recovery of the injured. Directed Civil, Police, Army, NDRF and SDRF officials to strengthen rescue and relief operations and ensure all possible assistance is provided.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the situation. He said the news is "grim and accurate and verified information is slow in arriving".
"I just spoke to the Union Home Minister @AmitShah Sb to brief him about the developing situation in Kishtwar region of Jammu.
In a post on X, Shah informed that he has assured the Jammu and Kashmir Government of all possible help.
Spoke with the LG and Chief Minister of J&K on the cloudburst in Kishtwar district. The local administration is conducting relief and rescue operations. NDRF teams have promptly been rushed to the site. We are closely monitoring the situation and stand firmly with the people of…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 14, 2025
According to Sunil Kumar Sharma, Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, a large number of devotees were present at the site of the incident. “At the moment, I don’t think anyone has exact figures but I believe there could be significant damage in the area,” he noted.
Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also condoled the deaths, urging the government to ensure “all possible assistance and treatment for those affected”.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jehanzaib Sirwal linked the incident to “the unchecked proliferation of power projects in Kishtwar”, warning that development without proper environmental assessments “poses a grave threat to our fragile ecosystem” and could have catastrophic consequences in future.
(With PTI inputs)
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