It was last Raksha Bandhan for Vishal Mehra, who survived, but his sister could not
IMRAN SHAH
Kishtwar, DD, Panic, chaos, and the deafening roar of water — that’s how survivors describe the terrifying moments when a massive cloudburst struck Chisoti village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar District Thursday.
“It was a big bang, we couldn’t even run for cover. In seconds, we were buried under debris and mud,” said one of the survivors, who managed to pull his two children to safety but lost his house and livestock.
A woman survivor in her trembling voice, recalled: “The flood came with such force it ripped through the walls of our home. I saw my neighbour being swept away right before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do.”
Similarly, someone who was trapped under a collapsed roof for nearly half an hour, said: “I could hear people screaming, children crying. All I could think about was whether I would see daylight again.”
Ajay Kumar, resident of Jammu, one of the survivors, told Diplomat Digital that the tragedy has struck their family.
“I am returning home with the body of my wife, Monika Mehra and minor son, Naman (10),” Kumar shared his unbearable loss in broken voice. He says his daughter has survived, and she is admitted in GMC Jammu.
“I am not aware of my relative, Vishal Mehra, who survived but was admitted in District Hospital, Kishtwar. Please confirm about him, and let me know,” Ajay Kumar, a young man. He was travelling towards Jammu with the bodies of his wife, and minor son.
Speaking to Diplomat Digital, Vishal Mehra – one of the survivors of the cloudburst in Chishoti – who had come with his family members to attend Machail Yatra in Padder, Kishtwar.
However, Mehra is returning with unforgettable disturbing memories, and a shuttered future as he lost his sister, Monika.
“It was my last Raksha Bandhan with my sister. How can I tell my father and mother that I have lost my sister in Chishoti village in a devastating cloudburst,” he recalls the horrific incident.
A Government School teacher from Jammu, told Diplomat Digital she had come to Kishtwar and proceeded to Padder for darshan at the shrine of Shri Machail Mata.
“However, the cloud burst had struck before I could have reached there. Unfortunately, it was not possible for me to go to the Holy temple. Hence, we returned to the Kishtwar town,” she said.
The disaster has claimed nearly 50 lives, with scores still missing. Rescue operations by the Army, SDRF, police, and local volunteers continued through the night, with teams navigating waist-deep sludge and unstable debris to reach survivors.
Another survivor, who lost two relatives, said the village “will never be the same. We have lost people, homes, and our sense of safety.”
Relief camps have been set up for the displaced, and officials say the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Initial reports suggest large parts of Chisoti have been flattened, leaving survivors with haunting memories of a night they will never forget. (DD)
