Kishtwar (Jammu and Kashmir): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced ex-gratia relief for families affected by the devastating flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in Kishtwar district, which has claimed at least 60 lives.
The Chief Minister said that Rs 2 lakh will be given to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those severely injured, and Rs 50,000 to those with minor injuries. Additionally, compensation of Rs 1 lakh will be provided for fully damaged structures, Rs 50,000 for severely damaged ones, and Rs 25,000 for partially damaged houses under the CM’s Relief Fund.
The announcement came during Abdullah’s visit to Chasoti village in Kishtwar, one of the worst-hit areas. He met with bereaved families, reviewed the destruction, and assured them of the government’s full support. In a post on X, the J-K CMO said the Chief Minister expressed “deep sorrow over the loss of lives and damage” and stressed that the government “stands firmly with the people in this hour of grief.”
Omar Abdullah also reviewed ongoing rescue and relief operations led by the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, and civil administration. He used a Virtual Reality (VR) headset to assess the destruction and instructed officials to expedite the restoration of damaged infrastructure.
The cloudburst, which struck along the Machail Mata Yatra route on Thursday, triggered flash floods and widespread devastation. At least 60 bodies have been recovered, with several others still missing. “The number of missing persons is being assessed,” Abdullah told reporters, adding that an inquiry would determine whether preventive measures could have been taken despite prior warnings from the Meteorological Department.
