‘Within Seconds, Everyone Was Gone’: Flash Flood Devastates J&K’s Kishtwar During Machail Mata Yatra
A sudden flash flood wreaked havoc in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday, leaving behind death, destruction and heart-rending scenes as pilgrims and locals were swept away within moments.
The disaster struck the remote Chashoti village, along the route of the annual Machail Mata Yatra, where hundreds of devotees had gathered at a community kitchen (langar) for meals. Many others were crossing a steel footbridge over a mountain stream when a deafening boom was heard around noon.
‘It happened in seconds’
“Within seconds, everyone disappeared. There were screams everywhere. People were buried under the debris, and death was instantly vivid,” recalled a policeman who witnessed the tragedy.
Eyewitnesses said the langar collapsed instantly, burying many inside, while the footbridge was swept away along with devotees who were crossing it. Quick rescue attempts saved some lives, but several were washed away into the Chenab River, which continues to roar furiously. Nets have now been placed across the river to prevent bodies from being carried downstream.
A shop worker who narrowly survived said: “I stepped out just for 15 seconds to get water. When I came back, everything was gone. Seven bodies were recovered from my shop. Had I stayed inside, I would have been the eighth.”
Scale of destruction
The flash flood brought massive boulders, pine trees and debris crashing down, completely altering the landscape. What was once a parking area now resembles a mountain slope.
- 10 residential houses, six government buildings, three temples, four water mills, two cattle sheds, and a 30-metre bridge were either washed away or badly damaged.
- Over a dozen vehicles were destroyed.
- Several pilgrims and locals remain missing.
Families of victims have begun cremations near the riverbank, even as the Chenab continues to rage. “We received the headless body of a woman,” an official said grimly, confirming that missing complaints are still being registered.
Rescue challenges
The rescue operation has been hampered by bad weather and narrow roads, preventing helicopters from reaching the site. Bulldozers have been deployed to clear debris, while the NDRF, Army, paramilitary forces, and local volunteers are working tirelessly. A temporary log bridge was built to evacuate stranded pilgrims.
Local legislator and opposition leader Sunil Kumar Sharma expressed fear that “several hundred people are still missing or untraceable.”
The Machail Mata Yatra, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to conclude on September 5, now stands overshadowed by this devastating tragedy — a grim reminder of the fragile ecology and risks faced in Himalayan pilgrimages.
