Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
4h ago

DNA Profiling Begins as Search Widens in Kishtwar Flash Flood, With 65 Dead and Dozens Missing

Authorities prioritise identification and recovery, with only a small Chhari group permitted on the route.

Image
Dr Rakesh Kotwal, posted at the Atholi sub-district hospital, said that the final toll could be much higher.
Image
Image

Overview

  • Officials report 65 confirmed fatalities, more than 100 injured and about three dozen people still unaccounted for, with 62 bodies identified and handed to families.
  • DNA matching is underway for bodies and severed limbs, and lookout notices were issued to help identify three remaining unidentified bodies.
  • Multi‑agency teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Army, police, CISF and civil administration expanded searches across a 22‑km stretch using heavy machinery, sniffer dogs and controlled explosions to clear boulders.
  • Engineers restored limited connectivity with a Bailey bridge as the full Machail Mata yatra stays suspended, and only 15 devotees carrying the Chhari were allowed to proceed under security.
  • The cause remains under investigation, with officials weighing a cloudburst against a possible glacial lake outburst as IMD gauge data showed only light local rain and experts urge better upper‑catchment monitoring.