J-K: "Helped many people get out of the debris," says Victims recalling horror after Kishtwar cloudburst - World News Network

Kishtwar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 16 (ANI): Victims of the Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar cloudburst narrated a scene of sudden chaos as a flash flood tore through Chesoti village along the Machail Mata Yatra route on Thursday.
The disaster has claimed more than 50 lives and has left over 100 injured, with many still reported missing, as rescue operations continue.
Recalling the scene where debris and water inundated the area within minutes, trapping several people, one victim, Pradeep Kumar, told ANI that he had helped many people get out of the debris after the cloudburst.

Speaking to ANI from the hospital, “When the cloud burst happened, all we saw was flood… 16 of us went, but only 14 returned. My family and I were also stuck there… While searching for my daughters, I helped many people get out of the debris.”
Another survivor named Ayush Sharma described being caught in the flash flood, saying, “We were near the langar… When the flood came, we fled. Fifty people had come to eat food, but then the flood came… I was there with my parents and brother. Many others are also stranded there.”

A day earlier, one victim told ANI the cloudburst occurred with a blast-like sound, and within two minutes, about four feet of debris surrounded them.

“We were right there… suddenly there was a blast-like sound, and after the cloudburst, we started to evacuate, but within 2 minutes, there was 4 feet of debris. We managed to rescue some people, but others got trapped. We were 11 members; we are safe, but my daughter and my wife were trapped in the debris, and now they are stable…” he said.
Another survivor described being caught in the flash flood, “A lot of people were dead and many were injured… I was amid the waters when a policeman helped me and brought me to the hospital… My sister is missing right now…”

A third victim said, “Suddenly, there was a sound like a bomb exploding, and everyone started shouting, ‘Run, run.’ As I started to run, I got trapped in the debris, and an electricity pole fell on me. After that, I called out to my daughter, and she pulled me out from there…”.

Vishal Mehra, a devotee from Jammu who had come for the Machail Mata Yatra, said, “We were returning after the darshan and had stopped at Chesoti. A part of our group was a little behind. We were having tea when Army personnel suddenly told us to run. We rushed, but we got trapped in the debris.”

“My sister and nephew are missing. There has been a massive loss…It felt like a sudden blast, and we could not act in time,” he said.

Another victim recalled, “When the cloud burst, we were flown away and I was stuck under a car… My mother was under an electricity pole… Administration took quick action, and the vehicles of the army and the CRPF arrived immediately…”
The cloudburst struck the Chashoti village of Paddar, along the Machail Mata Yatra route, around 11 am on Thursday, when a large number of devotees were present. (ANI)

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