Srinagar, 14 August (H.S.): A massive cloudburst struck a remote mountain village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, killing at least 30 people including two CISF personnel, officials said.

The death toll could go up as more people are believed to be trapped, officials said, adding that 120 people have been rescued so far. Of these, the condition of 38 is said to be serious.

While a large-scale rescue operation was already launched by NDRF, SDRF, police, Army and local volunteers, the authorities have mobilised more rescuers, including two fresh teams of NDRF to safeguard lives, officials said.

The disaster struck Chositi, the last motorable village en route to Machail Mata temple, between 12 noon and 1 pm. A large number of people had gathered there for the annual Machail Mata yatra, which commenced on July 25 and was scheduled to end on September 5. The 8.5 kilometre trek to the 9,500-feet-high shrine begins from Chositi.

Chositi is about 90 kilometres from Kishtwar town. A ‘langar’ (community kitchen) set up for the devotees here bore the brunt of the cloudburst, which led to flash floods and washed away several structures including shops and a security outpost.

Immediately after the calamity struck, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma, along with the senior superintendent of police, mobilised rescue teams and headed towards the spot to personally supervise the operations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar