Kishtwar : A cloudburst hit the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district in the early hours of Saturday, damaging some commercial outlets and shops, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said, adding that no loss of life has been reported so far.
In a post on X, Singh said he spoke to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pankaj Kumar Sharma after receiving reports of the cloudburst.
"Just now spoke to DC Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma, after receiving the reports of cloudburst in the Chhatroo area early this morning. No loss of life reported. Some commercial outlets/shops are damaged for which due compensation will be provided," he said.
The Union Minister also said that steps had been taken to strengthen the early warning system in the region. "To reassure the local residents, it is important to inform that after the experience of the last year's Chasoti cloudburst, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, has installed two latest 'Early Warning Systems' (EWS) in Kishtwar and Machhail respectively," Singh said.
"In addition, an 'Automatic Weather Station' (AWS) is also in the process of being installed in the Padder area," he added. In a separate incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri on July 19, heavy rainfall and a subsequent cloudburst triggered massive landslides that severely damaged the Thannamandi-DKG-Bufliaz Road, a key Border Roads Organisation (BRO) project vital for connecting the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with the Kashmir Valley.
The downpour triggered flash floods that washed away several stretches of the newly constructed road, culverts, and heavy trees at multiple locations between Thannamandi and Bufliaz. The road remains closed for traffic even after 13 days, with vehicles being diverted through the BG (Bimber Gali) route.