In a matter of minutes, a quiet pilgrimage route turned into a raging torrent of death and destruction on August 14, as a cloudburst ripped through Chasoti village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, killing at least 28 people and leaving dozens more missing.

The disaster struck between noon and 1 p.m., as hundreds of pilgrims trekked toward the sacred Machail Mata shrine. Without warning, a wall of water and debris thundered down the mountainside, smashing through the last motorable settlement before the temple. Homes, livestock, and vehicles vanished in seconds.

By nightfall, 79 people had been confirmed injured — 35 in critical condition — with hospitals in Atholi and Kishtwar overwhelmed. Search teams warned the toll would likely climb as they scoured the wreckage under treacherous conditions.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the situation “grim,” scrapping the customary Independence Day ‘At Home’ reception to redirect every available resource. “Verified information is trickling in,” he said on X. “We will share details as soon as possible.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi both pledged “every possible assistance” from the Centre, as two NDRF teams raced from Udhampur into the disaster zone. Relief camps and helplines have been activated, and the UT administration has set up a control room-cum-help desk for stranded pilgrims and bereaved families.

Yet, rescue operations remain an uphill battle. Landslides, broken roads, and surging waters have slowed progress, forcing teams to rely on ropes, makeshift bridges, and bare hands to reach survivors.

For the people of Kishtwar — no strangers to the violent wrath of mountain weather — the August 14 cloudburst is not just another disaster, but a shattering reminder of their perilous existence on nature’s faultline.