"Finding the missing persons alive now looks nearly impossible": Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah on Kishtwar flash flood

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 19 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that it might be impossible to find anyone alive in the Kishtwar incident, stating that the disaster took place due to cloudburst rather than a breach of glacial lakes.
"Finding the missing persons alive now looks nearly impossible. In these circumstances, we will try to retrieve as many bodies and hand them over to their loved ones. According to the information we have received so far, the disaster that happened in Kishtwar was due to a cloudburst and not a glacial lake breach," Omar Abdullah told reporters.
The J-K CM stated that the government will now appoint a team of experts to find out the other affected areas in the region and sought a report from them so that such incidents do not take place in the future.
"Now we have to appoint a team of experts to identify areas which might be in danger. A few months ago, the same thing was seen in Ramban, at that time the financial loss was more and the loss of life was less. This time the loss of life was more, but to avoid such a situation in future or if it arises, what steps can be taken by the government to reduce the loss, for this we will have to appoint some experts and ask for their report," Abdullah said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo confirmed that 61 people have lost their lives in the cloudburst and flash flood incident that occurred in the Kishtwar district, while 116 individuals have been rescued so far.
Addressing mediapersons, Chief Secretary Dulloo said, "61 people have lost their lives in the incident. Security forces and various agencies have launched a collective search and rescue operation. CISF, J&K Police, CRPF, BRO, Indian Army, and NHPC were present at the spot immediately after the incident. Almost 450 people are working there day and night in a rescue operation. 116 people have been rescued so far."
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) MK Yadav stated that the rescue operations are ongoing and efforts are being made to locate and save those still missing.
"Rescue operations are ongoing here, and JCB machines are also working continuously. SDRF, NDRF, local police, and CISF have all been divided into teams, zoning up the area. All agencies are working here. We are hopeful of saving more people. Other people who are missing, who are trapped inside boulders, muddy areas, we are trying our best to get them out. The situation here is better than before," Yadav said while speaking to ANI. (ANI)