Northern Army commander commends troops for rescue operation in cloudburst-hit village

Northern Army Commander Lt. General Pratik Sharma on Friday visited the hinterland formations and units at Rajouri and Kishtwar to compliment troops for the rescue operations during the recent cloudburst and subsequent flash-floods in the Chisoti village.

During his visit, he commended all ranks for their unyielding commitment to maintain high operational readiness and morale amid demanding circumstances, while highlighting the necessity of sustained alertness and continued peace.

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The devastating cloudburst on 14 August in Kishtwar’s village left over 67 Machail Mata pilgrims dead, 100 injured and more than 100 still missing. Rescue operations are ongoing to retrieve the bodies of missing pilgrims.

The J&K Emergency Medical Service (JKEMS) control room immediately deployed 14 ambulances from the nearby hospitals in the Kishtwar and Doda districts to shift the injured people to hospitals.

Further, 18 ambulances from Kashmir division, 7 ambulances from Udhampur and Ramban, 4 ambulances from Jammu and 2 ambulances from Samba were dispatched to the cloudburst spot.

In total, 47 ambulances of the J&K Emergency Medical Service were deployed for the rescue operations, an official of JKEMS said.

Through these efforts, 77 patients were provided emergency care and were safely shifted to hospital, while 31 critically injured pilgrims were shifted to GMC Jammu for advanced treatment. Over 67 deceased pilgrims were also transported to their respective homes by these ambulances.

Project head, 108 Ambulance Services, Mushtaq Ahmed – applaud all emergency medical teams and those who piloted the 108 Ambulance services for their relentless efforts in saving the lives of pilgrims during this devastating cloudburst.