Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has cancelled the “At Home” tea party and cultural programmes scheduled during Independence Day celebrations in the wake of the cloudburst tragedy in Kishtwar. Chief Minister Abdullah said formal events, including his address and ceremonial march past, would be held as per schedule.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Abdullah said, “In light of the tragedy caused by the cloud burst in Kishtwar I have taken the decision to cancel the “At Home” tea party tomorrow evening. We have also decided not to go ahead with the cultural events during the morning Independence Day celebrations. The formal events – speech, march past etc will go ahead as planned.”
In light of the tragedy caused by the cloud burst in Kishtwar I have taken the decision to cancel the “At Home” tea party tomorrow evening. We have also decided not to go ahead with the cultural events during the morning Independence Day celebrations. The formal events – speech,…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 14, 2025
Kishtwar Cloudburst Incident
A massive cloudburst hit Chishoti village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, unleashing flash floods that caused extensive destruction and left several people feared missing.
The incident took place between 12 pm and 1 pm in the Chasoti area, the last motorable point on the route to the Machail Mata temple, amid a heavy gathering of devotees for the annual yatra. A sudden rush of water swept through parts of the village, damaging houses and infrastructure, and cutting off road access to remote locations.
PM Modi Assures Support
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on assured full support to the affected people and said rescue and relief efforts are in full swing.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst and flooding in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. The situation is being monitored closely. Rescue and relief operations are underway. Every possible assistance will be provided to those in need,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst and flooding in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. The situation is being monitored closely. Rescue and relief operations are underway. Every possible assistance will be provided to those in need.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 14, 2025
Home Minister Amit Shah Assures Support
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, assuring them of complete support.
“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.
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…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 14, 2025
Rescue Efforts On
Rescue efforts are underway, with local administration teams evacuating residents, providing medical care, and working to restore normalcy in the cloudburst-affected areas. Authorities are also assessing the damage and prioritising the safety of people in vulnerable zones.
According to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Sharma, rescue operations are still in progress.
Two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), with nearly 180 personnel, have been deployed to the site. These teams, equipped with advanced search and rescue tools, were dispatched from the Udhampur base following directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs. They are coordinating closely with local authorities and state disaster management teams to evacuate stranded residents, provide medical support, and ensure the delivery of essential relief supplies.
(With ANI Inputs)
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