Kishtwar (Chisoti), 18th August 18:Defying constant rains and challenging geography, rescue teams continued their huge search operation on Monday, the fifth day after a cloudburst devastated the far-flung Chisoti village in Kishtwar district. Wearing raincoats, workers from various agencies scoured debris alongside a collapsed langar (community kitchen) site with the help of heavy machinery, earthmovers, and sniffer dogs to find those still trapped under the wreckage.
The tragedy occurred on August 14, when a cloudburst hit suddenly, causing flash floods in Chisoti—the terminal motorable village on the way to the sacred Machail Mata temple. The tragedy killed 61 people, including three Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and a Special Police Officer, and left more than 100 injured. The number of missing persons was revised to around 50 by authorities, as rescue workers struggled against time amid deteriorating weather conditions.
The flood created a picture of complete ruin, leveling a temporary bazaar, the langar camp which provides facilities to the annual Machail Mata pilgrims, and destroying 16 houses, government offices, three temples, four watermills, and one 30-meter long bridge. More than a dozen vehicles were also swept off in the torrential waters.
The multi-agency operation involves police personnel, Indian Army , National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), CISF, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), civil administration, and local volunteers.
In a key breakthrough, Army engineers built a Bailey bridge across the Chisoti nullah on Sunday, re-establishing connectivity to the village and the shrine. The Army also used all-terrain vehicles to support rescue efforts. Controlled explosions were used over the last two days to dismantle huge boulders blocking search operations.
In the meantime, the annual Machail Mata yatra that commenced on July 25 and was scheduled to end on September 5 continued to remain suspended for the fifth day in a row. The pilgrimage features an 8.5-kilometer walk from Chisoti to the shrine located at 9,500 feet above sea level.
With more than a dozen earthmovers and special NDRF dog units mobilized, rescuers are as adamant as ever to find survivors and retrieve victims, despite the extreme weather testing their will.
