Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that immediate relief has been disbursed among the affected families and adequate teams have been deployed to carry out rescue operations in Kishtwar following the cloudburst tragedy.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the affected families, the Chief Minister, according to Media, said he understands the feelings of the affected families, who want their loved ones to be traced, whether alive or deceased.
“Immediate relief has been provided to the affected families. The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund will also be utilised for their assistance,” he said.
He added that adequate teams, including the NDRF, SDRF, Army, J&K Police, and others, have been deployed for rescue operations. “So far, around 60 deaths have been confirmed and 70-80 people are still missing. Reports claiming 500 or 1,000 missing persons are incorrect,” he clarified.
Regarding demands to relocate affected families, the Chief Minister said they will consult a team of experts to ensure the families are not moved to areas that may be more prone to such disasters.
He also noted that hilly regions like J&K, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are prone to cloudbursts, and the government will work with experts to implement measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. (Agencies)
