Cloudburst Creates Havoc on Machail Mata Yatra Route; People Feared Hurt
KISHTWAR, Jammu & Kashmir – August 14, 2025: A crazy cloudburst hit Chishoti village in the Padder area of Kishtwar district, Jammu & Kashmir, Thursday. It’s caused a state of emergency on the popular Machail Mata Yatra route. The sudden, big downpour caused flash floods and landslides. Local officials and rescue teams are worried people are hurt, both locals and those on the pilgrimage. The exact number of people hurt isn’t known yet, but a huge rescue is happening now. The Indian Army and many disaster teams are rushing to the site, which is far away and hard to get to.
Rescue Started in Tough Spot
After the cloudburst, local big shots got things moving fast. A top team with police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Army is on the job. Officials said it’s not easy to reach by road, so rescuers have to walk to get to Chishoti.
The rescue teams are looking for folks who might have been washed away or stuck in the mess. The rough land and bad weather are making things really hard.
Pilgrims and Locals in Danger
This happened on the Machail Mata Yatra route, a yearly thing where tons of people go to the Goddess Chandi Mata shrine. Even though the yatra had a break from July 15 to July 24, people are still going there. The cloudburst has made people scared for the safety of the pilgrims and the villagers.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said on social media that the government has jumped into action right away. He said they’re giving all the help they can, like checking the damage and giving medical help.
Kishtwar’s Cloudburst Past
Kishtwar is rocky and has a history of cloudbursts and flash floods. Back in July 2021, seven died, and many got hurt or went missing after a cloudburst hit Honzer village. The Army, SDRF, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had to do rescues then too, in awful weather.
The Chishoti thing is a sad reminder of how dangerous the weather can be there. What happens to the missing now depends on the rescue teams working fast.
