Rescue, relief ops underway; every possible assistance will be provided: PM on J-K cloudburst

New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district and asserted that every possible assistance will be provided to those in need.

At least 17 people were killed when a massive cloudburst struck a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday, officials said.

The disaster struck Chositi, the last motorable village en route to Machail Mata temple, between 12 noon and 1 pm, when a large number of people had gathered for the annual Machail Mata yatra. The 8.5 kilometre trek to the 9,500-feet-high shrine begins from Chositi.




In a post on X, Modi said, "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," the prime minister said.