Kashmir, known as heaven on earth, has become a place of tears due to an unexpected event. A cloud burst has caused a huge loss of life. A sudden cloud burst in a remote village of Chositi in Kishtwar district on thursday caused lightning floods. 46 people have been killed in lightning floods. Given the severity of the accident, it is said that the death toll will be higher. This unexpected disaster has caused irreparable grief in many families. A cloudburst occurred in a village where pilgrims going to the Machayil Mata temple were staying. vehicles, devotees' tents, shops, accommodation facilities, and security posts were all washed away by the lightning.
This remote Chositi village is the base point for devotees who come to visit Machayil Mata. This is where pilgrims leave their vehicles and belongings. From here, they walk up the hill to the temple. Tents, shops, and cooking utensils set up by devotees were washed away by the lightning. There are a large number of missing people. According to the initial estimate of local news agencies, around 200 people are missing. It is said that the death toll is likely to rise. Two CRPF jawans were also among the dead. Of the injured, 28 are said to be in critical condition. Locals rescued 167 people from being swept away by the lightning. The village is said to have been almost wiped out by the sudden floods. The Machayil Mata yatra began on the 25th of last month. As part of this spiritual pilgrimage, devotees have to walk eight and a half kilometers from Chositi to reach the temple at an altitude of 9500 feet. Chositi village, which was badly hit by the lightning floods, is 90 km from Kishtwar town.

Although the authorities responded quickly as soon as they received the information about the lightning floods, it must be said that the damage that was expected has been done. The situation there has now become terrifying. Additional forces and helicopters have been prepared to participate in the relief operations. The army has also been deployed in the relief operations. About 300 soldiers are participating in the relief operations in Chositi village.

The Machayil Mata Mandir yatra, which is located at an altitude of 2800 feet above sea level, has been recently suspended. The decision was taken in the wake of the great tragedy caused by flash floods. Heavy rains are lashing many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, along with Rajouri. On the other hand, heavy rains are also wreaking havoc in Himachal Pradesh. In the wake of heavy rains here, 396 lanes along with the National Highway have been closed. The power supply office in shimla was also damaged. It is said that large-scale structures in the Lahaul-Spiti region have been washed away due to heavy rains.
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Sowmiya Sriram

15/08/2025 02:27 PM