Srinagar: Two consecutive cloudbursts triggered the devastating flash floods that struck Kishtwar’s remote Chasoti village on August 14, killing 65 people and leaving several missing, a preliminary probe has confirmed.
Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma said the incident was not caused by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). “Chasoti was not a GLOF event,” he clarified, citing a joint investigation by a mountaineering team, geological experts, and J&K Police’s mountain rescue unit, assisted by a mountaineer who has scaled Mt Everest.
The cloudbursts, which occurred about 13 km from Chasoti in Chenab Valley, unleashed torrents of water mixed with mud, boulders, and uprooted trees. The surging flow struck the hamlet around 11.40 am, flattening homes, langars, three temples, vehicles, and even a bridge. Hundreds of pilgrims bound for the Machail Mata shrine were camping in the area when the floods hit.
GLOF Risks Still Loom The tragedy has reignited discussion around a 2024–25 government study on GLOFs in Kishtwar. The district disaster management authority had earlier warned that glacial outburst floods pose a major threat to Padder, Machail, Dachhan, Marwah, and Warwan tehsils as well as areas around Kishtwar High Altitude National Park.
The report noted that Marwah and Warwan, marked as “shadow areas,” were especially vulnerable due to their remoteness, low-lying settlements, and weak disaster preparedness. On August 26 this year, Warwan Valley was itself struck by a cloudburst, which damaged nearly 190 houses and killed 45 cattle.
The study also flagged Padder tehsil—home to major power projects—as highly at risk from GLOFs. Infrastructure in Machail, Dachhan, and Marwah, including schools, hospitals, and roads, is similarly exposed.
While the Chasoti disaster was not linked to a glacial outburst, experts warn that both cloudbursts and GLOFs remain potent threats in the fragile Himalayan landscape.
