Recently, eight innocent lives were lost and another 17 went missing after a cloudburst hit a remote village in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said. As a result, the water level of the Chenab river increased in the Reasi district. Hence, the gates of Salal Dam have been opened. Among those who were injured, five of them were taken to Kishtwar town for treatment. According to sources, 19 residential houses and 21 cowsheds were damaged. The rescue operation has been temporarily halted due to heavy rain.
On receiving the information about the cloudburst, local police immediately rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation. The personnel of SDRF were also mobilized from Kishtwar to augment the rescue operation team.
Further Army Jawans also joined the rescue operation. SSP Kishtwar Shri Shafqat Hussain also reached the spot and is leading the rescue operation.
Cloudbursts, are a sudden phenomena, followed by very heavy rainfall, usually local in nature and of brief duration. Most so-called cloudbursts occur in connection with thunderstorms. In these storms there are violent uprushes of air, which at times prevent the condensing raindrops from falling to the ground. A large amount of water may thus accumulate at high levels, and if the upward currents are weakened the whole of this water-falls at one time.
Cloudbursts are especially common in mountainous areas. This is probably because the warm air currents of a thunderstorm tend to follow the upward slope of a mountain. The effects of heavy rain are especially striking on mountain slopes because the falling water is concentrated in valleys and gulleys. Mountain cloudbursts cause sudden and destructive floods. The intensity of rainfall in the most severe cloudbursts can only be conjectured.
Meanwhile, following this, an image went wildly viral which claims to be from Kishtwar. The claim shared along with the photo said that 40 people are reported missing after a cloudburst in Kishtwar district of Jammu and four bodies have been recovered. But, upon conducting a reverse image search, it was found that several news regarding the same pointed out that this viral image is from 2016 Uttarakhand flood.
According to a story published on India Today, about 30 people were feared dead from different areas of Uttarakhand after cloudbursts hit in Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts of the state. The report also carried the same viral photo, which was credited to news agency ANI.
Upon using the advanced search feature on Twitter, a tweet was found by ANI which had the photo that is now being circulated as that from Jammu and Kashmir.
The caption read: “River Alaknanda rises above the danger level mark after a cloudburst in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand.”
Thus, it is clear that the viral image is not from the recent calamity.
Kishtwar’s senior police superintendent Shafqat Bhat said they believe 30 to 40 people were in the village at the time of the cloud burst. He added bridges have been washed away in the area and a river there is in full spate. Bhat said Honjar is around 50km from Kishtwar district headquarters.
In a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Centre is closely monitoring the situation. “…in the wake of the cloudbursts in #Kishtwar and #Kargil (Ladakh). All possible assistance is being made available in the affected areas. I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being.”
Union home minister Amit Shah said saving as many lives as possible is the priority. “I have spoken to the LG (Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha) & DGP (director general of police) of Jammu & Kashmir regarding the cloudburst in Kishtwar. SDRF, Army & local administration are carrying out the rescue operation. NDRF is also reaching there.”
Officials said SDRF teams were sent to the area from Doda, Udhampur, and Jammu while a team of NDRF and SDRF each were on standby in Srinagar. SDRF commandant VK Singh said a police team left for the scene on foot. “The area is in the upper reaches of Kishtwar, not accessible by road. Jammu SDRF is on standby. The weather is inclement. One team of SDRF from Srinagar is ready to be airlifted,” said Singh.
