Jammu, Feb 24: The rain fury in Jammu and Kashmir last year claimed 152 lives, injured 179 people, damaged nearly 21,000 structures — mostly residential houses — while 1515 livestock perished, official data revealed.
Of the total fatalities, 151 were reported from the worst-hit Jammu division and one from Kashmir valley, the data compiled by the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department (DMRRRD) said.
Official sources said the dead included about 100 pilgrims who lost their lives in a cloudburst and a landslide enroute to Machail Mata shrine in Kishtwar district and Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district in August.
A devastating cloudburst struck Chisoti village – the gateway to Machail Mata shrine – in Kishtwar on August 14, killing 63 people and injuring scores of others, while 30 went missing. The incident was followed by a landslide triggered by relentless rains on Vaishno Devi route on August 26 that left 32 dead and 20 others injured.
The government said compensation for loss of lives, injuries and house damages has been disbursed as per norms under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The DMRRRD said that Rs 289.39 crore has been released under SDRF during FY 2025-26, including Rs 200.39 crore for Jammu division and Rs 89 crore for Kashmir division to support relief and restoration measures.
The Jammu division bore the brunt, with 3,304 houses fully damaged, 1,818 severely damaged and 11,622 partially damaged, besides destruction of 3,531 huts and cattle sheds, death of 1,461 livestock and loss of 1,035 tin sheds.
In Kashmir division, 12 houses were fully damaged, 44 severely and 597 partially damaged, besides damage to 71 huts and cattle sheds and loss of 54 livestock, the government said.
The DMRRRD said the Ministry of Home Affairs deputed Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) for assessment of damages to J&K from September 3 to September 7, 2025 and the team visited various affected districts of the UT.
Memorandum of loss and damages stands submitted to the ministry on November 6, 2025.
On the request of the UT government, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) deputed team of experts for the post disaster need assessment which conducted a detailed exercise and assessment from November 17 to 25, 2025. The report of the same has been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Based on the report of IMCT, the centre under SASCI (Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment) has allocated Rs 1,431 crore for J&K, the government said, adding that this will be further released to implementing departments once the detailed proposals for flood restoration works are received from the departments committee for examination, consolidation and submission has been constituted by the Government on February 3.
In addition of Rs 289.39 crore under SDRF, an amount of Rs 100 crore (5 crore earmarked for each district) has been released under the Capex Budget 2025-26 under the activities “Flood Relief Measures” to address the immediate impact of the calamity, the DMRRRD said.
Besides this under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), over Rs 207 Lakhs was provided in Kishtwar for Chishoti flood victims, Rs 45 lakh was provided in district Poonch for landslide-affected houses in villages Surothi and Kala-ban, Rs 95 lakh in district Reasi for landslide victims at Mata Vaishno Devi, Rs 253.25 lakh in district Ramban, and Rs 21.50 lakh in district Kathua towards relief for deaths and injuries.
Under the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF), an amount of Rs 141 lakh was directly transferred online in was respect of 63 deaths and 29 injured persons during the Chishoti cloudburst incident, the government said. (Agencies)
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