As all efforts to trace the missing victims of the devastating Chashoti cloudburst proved futile, authorities have initiated the process to officially declare the 31 missing persons dead, paving the way for disbursing compensation and ex gratia to their families.
"We have issued a public notice as a legal obligation to initiate the process of officially declaring these missing persons as dead," Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Paddar, Dr. Amit Kumar, told The International Business Times. He said the notice was part of an inquiry already underway after exhaustive search operations failed to yield any results.
Over two months after the cloudburst and flash floods that wreaked havoc in the remote Chashoti village of Machail tehsil in Kishtwar district, the administration has officially presumed all 31 missing persons dead and begun the legal formalities to formalize the declaration.
According to the public notice issued by SDM Paddar Dr. Amit Kumar, the decision follows extensive search and rescue operations by local authorities and police teams, which failed to trace any of the missing individuals since the tragedy struck on September 14, 2025.
The SDM's notice stated: "This is to bring to the attention of the general public that a tragic cloudburst struck Village Chashoti, Tehsil Machail, District Kishtwar, on 14.09.2025. In the aftermath of this natural disaster, 31 individuals have been reported missing and have not turned up despite extensive search and rescue operations. Local police authorities have looked into the matter thoroughly and followed up on every possible lead."
The notice further added that after exhausting all reasonable avenues and conducting a detailed inquiry, the missing persons are now "presumed to have passed away due to the calamity." The Station House Officer (SHO) of Police Station Paddar has drawn up a preliminary report confirming the disappearance of the 31 individuals, paving the way for legal proceedings under provisions concerning the presumption of death.
In accordance with procedural requirements, the SDM has issued a 30-day public notice, calling upon all concerned parties — including legal heirs, government departments, institutions, or any other interested individuals — to submit any objections or claims regarding the presumption of death.
"All submissions, claims, or objections must be filed with the relevant authorities within 30 days from the date of publication of this notice. After the expiry of the stipulated period, necessary legal proceedings shall be initiated as per law," the notice stated.
The tragic cloudburst and subsequent flash floods caused large-scale destruction in Chashoti village, washing away houses, livestock, and infrastructure. Despite sustained rescue operations by the district administration, police, Army, NDRF, and SDRF, no survivors were found. The area remained cut off for several days due to the rugged terrain and damaged connectivity.
The formal presumption of death now enables affected families to claim compensation, inheritance, and insurance benefits as per legal provisions.
31 still missing, admits J&K government
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has confirmed that it has provided extensive relief and rehabilitation assistance to victims of the August 14, 2025, cloudburst that devastated Chashoti village in Kishtwar district, triggering flash floods that swept away homes, vehicles, and pilgrimage infrastructure along the Machail Mata Yatra route.
Responding to a question raised by MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma, the government said that the sudden and intense downpour led to catastrophic flooding and debris flow in the remote mountain settlement, the last motorable point on the annual pilgrimage route. Many of the victims were local residents and pilgrims participating in the yatra.
The government said large-scale search and rescue operations were immediately launched by the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the local administration. The Machail Mata Yatra was subsequently suspended in the aftermath of the disaster.
A total of 19 houses were affected in Chashoti village (Paddar), including 16 fully damaged and three partially damaged structures. Two of the affected households were already listed as beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G). Three houses have already been compensated under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF).
Under SDRF norms, compensation has been sanctioned at ₹1,30,000 for fully damaged residential houses, ₹6,500 for partially damaged houses, and ₹5,000 for loss of clothing and utensils. From the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, ₹1,00,000 has been provided for fully damaged houses and ₹25,000 for partially damaged ones.
The government further informed that 63 identified and three unidentified individuals were killed, 31 people remain missing, and 13 others sustained injuries. In addition, five human limbs were recovered during rescue operations.
Compensation under SDRF norms has been fixed at ₹4,00,000 per death, ₹16,000 for major or serious injuries, and ₹5,400 for minor injuries requiring hospitalization. From the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, ₹2,00,000 has been sanctioned per death, ₹1,00,000 for major injuries, ₹50,000 for minor injuries requiring hospitalization, and ₹25,000 for minor injuries treated on first aid.
Assistance under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) includes ₹2,00,000 per death and ₹50,000 for major injuries.
