JAMMU & KASHMIR CLOUDBURST: PEOPLE TELL STORIES OF CRAZY ESCAPES FROM SUDDEN FLOOD
KISHTWAR, Jammu & Kashmir – August 15, 2025:After a terrible cloudburst in Kishtwar, a remote mountain area, people who lived through it are talking about how they barely made it out alive from the huge flash flood that hit Chesoti village. This disaster has killed over 60 people so far, and many are still missing. It smashed into the base camp of the yearly Machail Mata Yatra with a sound like a bomb going off, trapping both travelers and locals in minutes.
The Moment the Mountain Fell Apart
The cloudburst struck around 11 a.m. on Thursday, turning a small stream into a crazy river of mud, junk, and rocks. People who saw it happen said it came out of nowhere. One second the sky was clear, the next there was a blast sound, and then everything went crazy.
One person who survived was at a food area. He remembers all the mess. All of a sudden, it sounded like a bomb, and everyone was yelling, ‘Run, run.’ I started running, but I got stuck in the mess, and a power pole fell on me. Then I yelled for my daughter, and she pulled me out. “She saved my life,” the man said.
Another person who survived said he got caught in the flash flood. Many people died, and lots were hurt. I was in the water when a cop helped me out and took me to the hospital. “My sister is missing right now,” he said.
From Worshiper to Survivor
Vishal Mehra, a worshiper from Jammu, was on the Machail Mata Yatra. He stopped at a tea place in Chesoti with his group. We were drinking tea, and right when we were done, army guys told us to get out of there. “We ran, but we got stuck,” he said, thinking back to how scary it was.
Mehra got away but now is sad because of what he lost. My sister and nephew are missing. It’s a huge loss. It was like a sudden explosion, and we didn’t have time to do anything, he said. What he said shows how fast it happened, leaving almost no time for anyone to react.
The Real Rescuers
The rescue efforts, led by the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have been amazing. People who survived are praising how fast the security forces stepped in since they were already there for the pilgrimage.
One person who got swept away by the flood remembers being stuck under a car. When the cloud burst, we were thrown around, and I got stuck under a car. My mom was under a power pole. The government acted fast, and the army and CRPF vehicles got there right away, he said, thankful for how fast they came, which saved him and his mom.
The Indian Army sent over five groups, each with 60 people, along with medical teams. They are still searching for the missing people, working in very hard conditions.
People Coming Together
Even though it’s a sad time, the local people have been strong and helping each other. People who live there have joined in the rescue efforts, working with the police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and other groups. They are helping to dig through the mud and junk to find anyone still alive.
Volunteers and locals are also giving food, clothes, and places to stay to those who have lost everything. The food areas that were ruined in the flood are being set up again quickly in safer places to take care of the travelers and locals who were hit by the disaster.
A Long Way Back
The cloudburst didn’t just kill people; it also wrecked a lot of property. Many houses, shops, and cars were washed away. The whole village, which used to be busy with travelers, is now just a sad sight of mud and wreckage.
The people who made it are happy to be alive, but they are also very upset and stressed. Now they have a tough job of rebuilding their lives and dealing with losing their loved ones and homes. The rescue and help efforts are still going on, and the government is trying to give all the help they can to the families that were affected.
