Srinagar: 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.
The LG said he will ensure the reconstruction of homes damaged in flash floods at Chasoti village in Kishtwar.
“Spoke to Senior Officials and took stock of the rescue and relief operations at Chasoti, Kishtwar. I will ensure the reconstruction of homes damaged in flash floods,” the LG said in a post on X.
Tragedy struck Chasoti — the last motorable village enroute to the Machail Mata temple — around 12:25 pm on August 14 that left 60 people dead and over 100 injured. It flattened a makeshift market, a community kitchen site for the pilgrimage, and a security outpost.
At least 16 houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-meter-long bridge, and over a dozen vehicles were also damaged in the flash flood.
A total of 60 persons, including three CISF personnel and a Special Police Officer, have died and 82 people were reported missing in the cloudburst and the resultant flash floods that struck the remote village in Padder sub-division on Thursday afternoon. Around 167 people have been rescued so far, some critically injured.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Chisoti village on Saturday morning and announced an ex-gratia assistance from the chief minister’s relief fund to the affected families as a “measure of solidarity and immediate relief”. He also assured them long-term support.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, also visited the devastated village late on Friday night and reviewed the ongoing rescue and relief efforts jointly carried out by the Police, Army, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Border Roads Organisation, civil administration, and local volunteers.
So far, 50 bodies have been identified and handed over to their next of kin after completion of legal formalities.
The disaster struck Chisoti — the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple — at around 12.25 pm on August 14. It flattened a makeshift market, a langar (community kitchen) site prepared for the yatra, and a security outpost.
At least 16 residential houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-metre-long bridge, and over a dozen vehicles were damaged in the flash floods which dumped giant boulders at various spots, especially around the worst-hit langar site.
I will ensure reconstruction of homes: LG
