What wiped J&K village off the map? Truth behind Kishtwar disaster revealed - 'It was not a glacial outburst'

kishtwar

A preliminary government investigation has determined that two cloudbursts were the cause of a devastating flash flood that killed at least 65 people in a remote part of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district last month.

The disaster struck the small hamlet of Chasoti in the Chenab Valley on the morning of August 14. The village, which serves as a camping ground for pilgrims visiting the Machail Mata temple, was inundated by a catastrophic surge of water, mud, boulders and debris shortly before noon.

The official findings, as reported by TOI, counter initial speculation that the tragedy was caused by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). The district magistrate of Kishtwar, Pankaj Kumar Sharma, was quoted stating definitively, “Chasoti (tragedy) was not a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood event.” The conclusion was reached following a joint field study conducted by a team of geological experts and a mountaineering unit, which included a member of the J&K Police’s mountain rescue team who has summited Mount Everest.

The investigation revealed that two separate cloudbursts occurred approximately 13 kilometres from Chasoti. The resulting torrent unleashed its full force on the settlement at around 11.40 am, utterly flattening houses, community kitchens, three temples, vehicles and a crucial bridge in its path.

While this specific event has been attributed to cloudbursts, a separate government study focusing on GLOF risks in the region has returned to the fore. As per the TOI report, a 2024-2025 district disaster management authority study had previously warned that GLOFs present a significant hazard to several high-altitude areas within Kishtwar.

The study specifically identified the tehsils of Padder, Machail, Dachhan, Marwah and Warwan, as well as areas near the Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, as being particularly vulnerable due to their proximity to unstable glacial lakes. These sudden flooding events were noted as a major threat to local communities, critical infrastructure and the environment.

The report, cited by TOI, highlighted that the remote tehsils of Marwah and Warwan were designated as “shadow areas” due to their isolated nature, the presence of low-lying settlements and a limited capacity for disaster preparedness and emergency response. The vulnerability of Warwan was tragically underscored just days after the Chasoti disaster, when a cloudburst on August 26 damaged nearly 190 houses and killed 45 head of cattle.

Furthermore, the government assessment noted that GLOF events pose a direct threat to major power projects located within Padder tehsil, while infrastructure including roads, schools and hospitals in Machail, Dachhan and Marwah also face considerable risk.