New Delhi [India], August 14 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and assured full central assistance after a massive cloudburst triggered a flash flood in the Chashoti area of Kishtwar district.

In a post on X, Shah said that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have already been rushed to the site.

'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 Jammu and Kashmir through every situation. Assured of all possible assistance to the people in need,' Shah said in a post on X.

https://x.com/AmitShah/status/1955930626688729585

Local administration teams are on the ground, evacuating residents, providing medical aid, and working to restore normalcy in the affected areas. Authorities are assessing damage and prioritising the safety of people in vulnerable zones.

As per the Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar, Pankaj Sharma, the rescue operations are still underway.

Meanwhile, two NDRF teams, comprising nearly 180 personnel, have been rushed to the site after the massive cloudburst struck the region.

The NDRF teams, equipped with advanced search-and-rescue gear, were rushed from the force's Udhampur base following instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs. They are in close coordination with the local administration and state disaster management teams so that they can evacuate stranded residents, provide medical aid, and ensure the supply of essential relief materials.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the situation in the Chashoti area of Kishtwar as 'grim' after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in the region.

In a post on X, Abdullah said, 'I just spoke to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to brief him about the developing situation in the Kishtwar region of Jammu. The news is grim & accurate, verified information from the area hit by the cloud burst is slow in arriving. All possible resources are being mobilised from within & beyond J&K to manage the rescue operations...'

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said a massive cloudburst struck the Chashoti area in Kishtwar, prompting the administration to launch rescue operations and make arrangements for medical aid immediately.

In a post on X, Jitendra Singh wrote, 'Just now spoke to DC Kishtwar Sh Pankaj Kumar Sharma after receiving an urgent message from LoP #JammuAndKashmir and local MLA Sh Sunil Kumar Sharma.'

https://x.com/DrJitendraSingh/status/1955896794858017067

The cloudburst, which occurred early Thursday, caused flash floods that damaged infrastructure, cut off road connectivity, and left several remote villages isolated.

The massive cloudburst struck Chishoti village in the Padder sub-division of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district today, triggering flash floods and extensive damage, with several people feared missing.

The calamity occurred between 12 noon and 1 pm in the Chasoti area, the last motorable point en route to the revered Machail Mata temple, at a time when a large crowd of pilgrims had assembled for the annual Machail Mata Yatra. The sudden surge of water swept through parts of the village, destroying property and severing road links to remote areas. (ANI)