Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 24 : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu to meet victims injured in the recent cloudburst disaster in Kishtwar district. During his visit, he expressed hope for their swift recovery and detailed ongoing relief efforts.
Speaking to reporters, LG Sinha said, "Everyone is stable, and I hope everyone recovers quickly and returns home. The incident was extremely unfortunate and many people have lost their lives."
He praised the authorities for their efforts, noting that 32 individuals remain missing and search operations continue.
"The authorities worked very hard to find the missing people; however, 32 people are still missing, and efforts to look for them are underway," LG Sinha said.
Regarding relief measures, Sinha stated that Rs 4.13 crore have been disbursed to the victims so far and assured that the state and central governments will ensure rehabilitation of the affected families.
He said, "Relief and rehabilitation efforts are going on. Rs 4.13 crore has been given to the victims so far. The J-K government, as well as the centre, will make complete arrangements for the relief and rehabilitation of affected families."
He informed that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to arrive soon. "If the weather allows, he will go to Kishtwar; otherwise, he will visit GMC Jammu and then return to Delhi."
A devastating cloudburst occurred during the Machail Mata Yatra on August 14, claiming over 50 lives.
The cloudburst led to sudden flash floods during the pilgrimage, resulting in widespread destruction and the deaths. Teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, CISF, Indian Army, and the local administration are engaged in rescue efforts, now in their eighth day.
On August 20, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, "Finding the missing persons alive now looks nearly impossible. In these circumstances, we will try to retrieve as many bodies and hand them over to their loved ones. According to the information we have received so far, the disaster that happened in Kishtwar was due to a cloudburst and not a glacial lake breach."