SRINAGAR: A preliminary investigation has found that two cloudbursts occurred approximately 13km from the remote village of Chasoti in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Aug 14, triggering flash floods that killed 65 people and left several missing.
“Chasoti (tragedy) was not a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood event,” Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma said, adding that the findings were based on a joint study by a mountaineering team and geological experts. J&K Police’s mountain rescue team also contributed to the report after studying the area along with a mountaineer who has summited Mt Everest.
The dual cloudbursts had unleashed torrents of water, mud, boulders, and uprooted trees that swept into the small hamlet nestled in Chenab Valley — the last village en route Machail Mata temple — where hundreds of pilgrims had been camping. The surge hit around 11.40am, flattening everything in its war — houses, langars, three temples, vehicles, and even a bridge.
A 2024-2025 govt study on GLOFs in Kishtwar is being discussed again. In the report, the district disaster management authority had warned that GLOF presents significant challenges to the community, infrastructure, and the environment in the region. It also stated that GLOFs present a major hazard to Padder, Machail, Dachhan, Marwah, and Warwan tehsils and areas near Kishtwar high altitude national park.
These places are especially vulnerable due to their proximity to glacial lakes, making them prone to sudden flooding events that can have a devastating impact on the region. The report highlighted that Marwah and Warwan were more susceptible to danger and are designated “shadow areas” due to their remoteness, low-lying settlements and limited disaster preparedness and emergency response capacity. On Aug 26 this year, Warwan Valley was hit by a cloudburst, damaging around 190 houses and killing 45 cattle.
GLOF events also pose a threat to Padder tehsil, which houses major power projects, the report stated. Infrastructure (roads, schools, hospitals, etc.) in Machail, Dachhan, and Marwah is also at considerable risk, the report said.
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