A COORDINATED rescue and relief operation continued for the third consecutive day on Saturday in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, where 60 people lost their lives and over 100 others were injured, officials said. Union Minister Jitendra Singh, accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat, visited the devastated village late Friday night and reviewed ongoing rescue and relief efforts carried out by the police, army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), civil administration, and local volunteers operating in the high-altitude terrain. So far, 46 bodies have been identified and handed over to their next of kin after completion of legal formalities. 

 

 

KISHTWAR, Aug 16 (ANI) JAMMU and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to the severely injured people in the flash flood triggered by a cloud burst in Kishtwar. The Jammu and Kashmir Government will also provide financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to the people who suffered minor injuries. The Government will provide Rs 1 lakh for fully damaged structures, Rs 50,000 for severely damaged structures and Rs 25,000 for partially damaged structures from the CM’s Relief Fund. The announcement came after CM Omar Abdullah visited the cloudburst-affected areas of Kishtwar today and met affected families. In a post on X, JK CMO said, “Chief Minister visited the cloudburst-affected areas of Kishtwar today and met affected families. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and damage and said the Government stands firmly with the people in this hour of grief. As a mark of solidarity and immediate succor, Chief Minister announced ex-gratia relief from the CM’s Relief Fund: Rs 2 lakh for each deceased. Rs 1 lakh for severely injured, Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.

 

Rs 1 lakh for fully damaged structures. Rs 50,000 for severely damaged structures. Rs 25,000 for partially damaged structures. Instructions were also issued for immediate restoration of the affected infrastructure in the area.” Earlier in the day, J&K CM met with the families affected by the flash flood due to a cloud burst in Chasoti village of Kishtwar district. CM Abdullah also reviewed the ongoing relief and rescue operations and received a detailed briefing from Army personnel. He used a Virtual Reality (VR) headset to review the destruction and said immediate relief measures would be taken to support affected families. The cloudburst, which occurred along the Machail Mata Yatra route, triggered flash floods and widespread destruction on Thursday, killing at least 60 people. On Friday, Abdullah confirmed the deaths and said that the number of missing people was still being verified. “Around 60 bodies have been found. The number of missing persons is being assessed. After the rescue and relief operation concludes, we will inquire whether the Administration could have taken any preventive steps when the Met Department had issued a warning and also advised people not to venture out if not needed. The rescue operation by the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Police, and Administration is underway. Workers of different political parties are also working on the ground,” Omar Abdullah told reporters. (ANI)

 

 

 JAMMU and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday took stock of the rescue and relief operations in the cloudburst-hit Kishtwar district and said he will ensure reconstruction of homes damaged in flash floods. Sinha directed senior officials to ensure uninterrupted supply of essentials to the affected people.