Cloudburst triggers flash floods in Kishtwar, schools shut across Chenab Valley

The intense rainfall, which occurred around 2.30 am, caused flash floods that swept through parts of J&K's Kishtwar district, causing widespread damage to roads and properties.The sudden deluge left the main market covered with boulders, mud and slush, and made the Kishtwar-Chatroo-Sinthan National Highway inaccessible.Persistent rain disrupted normal life across the Chenab Valley after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in the Chatroo area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district early Saturday. Authorities shut schools in Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts, and asked them to hold online classes.Officials said the cloudburst caused widespread damage in Chatroo, though no loss of life was reported. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said affected shopkeepers and business owners would be given compensation as per the government's relief norms.According to officials, the cloudburst struck Chatroo at around 2.30 am and set off flash floods. The sudden deluge left the main market covered with boulders, mud and slush, and made the Kishtwar-Chatroo-Sinthan National Highway inaccessible.At least two vehicles parked along the bank of a local stream were swept away, while several shops and houses were inundated. Singh said he spoke to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma shortly after receiving reports of the cloudburst. He said the government had strengthened disaster preparedness in the district after last year's Chasoti cloudburst, which left 63 people, mostly devotees visiting the Machail Mata shrine, dead.Around 30 people who went missing after that incident are still to be traced. He also said the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has installed one Early Warning System each in Kishtwar and Machhail to improve advance weather monitoring and provide timely alerts during extreme weather events, while an automatic weather station is being installed in the Padder area. In Kishtwar, the chief education officer ordered all government and private schools to remain closed for the day because of heavy rainfall, slippery roads and the possibility of shooting stones.Similar orders were issued in adjoining Doda and Ramban districts. Overall, the cloudburst in Chatroo and the continuing rain across the Chenab Valley damaged property, disrupted movement and led to school closures, even as officials said there were no casualties.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 1, 2026 11:56 IST