Cloudburst suspends Machail Yatra after Chositi disaster; dozens dead

A catastrophic cloudburst struck Chositi village in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir, along the Machail Mata pilgrimage route, triggering a massive rescue operation and prompting the suspension of the annual yatra as authorities rush to assess the damage and assist those affected. Officials say the toll has climbed into the dozens, with hundreds of people involved in the ongoing relief effort and more still unaccounted for as rescuers comb the remote hillside hamlets.

At least 33 people were confirmed dead, with more than 120 others reported injured and several hundred more feared missing in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Rescue teams have been deployed by the administration, and hundreds of personnel, including members of the Army, the National Disaster Response Force and local agencies, are working to locate survivors and provide medical care. Officials said around 65 people had already been rescued, but large numbers remain unaccounted for as floodwaters and landslides hinder access to the affected areas.

Chositi, a remote Himalayan village at the foothills of the Machail route, is the last stretch reachable by road for pilgrims heading to the Mata Chandi...