Prez, PM lead nation in condolences
*Omar cancels At Home, no cultural event in morning I-Day function
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 14: As President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in expressing heartfelt condolences over cloudburst tragedy in Chasoti area of Kishtwar district which took lives of 45 people and left 120 injured Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take assessment of the situation.
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The Chief Minister announced cancellation of At Home tea party tomorrow evening and said no cultural events will be held during morning Independence-Day celebrations in view of cloudburst tragedy.
President Droupadi Murmu said the loss of lives due to a cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir is extremely tragic and prayed for the success of relief and rescue operations.
“The news of several deaths due to a cloudburst in Kishtwar, Jammu-Kashmir, is extremely tragic. I express my heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and pray for the success of relief and rescue operations,” Murmu said in a post on X in Hindi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst in Kishtwar district and asserted that every possible assistance will be provided to those in need.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the cloudburst and flooding in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. The situation is being monitored closely. Rescue and relief operations are underway,” he said in a post on X and added that every possible assistance will be provided to those in need.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take stock of the situation following a massive cloudburst in Kishtwar and assured them all possible help needed by the people.
Shah also said that the local administration is conducting relief and rescue operations and teams of the National Disaster Response Force have rushed to the site.
“Spoke with the LG and Chief Minister of J&K on the cloudburst in Kishtwar district. The local administration is conducting relief and rescue operations. NDRF teams have promptly been rushed to the site,” the Home Minister wrote on ‘X’.
He said the Central Government is closely monitoring the situation and stand firmly with the people of Jammu and Kashmir through every situation. “Assured of all possible assistance to the people in need,” he added.
“In light of the tragedy caused by the cloudburst in Kishtwar, I have taken the decision to cancel the ‘At Home’ tea party tomorrow (Friday) evening,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced this evening.
“We have also decided not to go ahead with the cultural events during the morning Independence Day celebrations. The formal events – speech, march past etc will go ahead as planned,” he said in a post on X.
Abdullah is scheduled to take salute at the march past at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, the venue of the main Independence Day function in Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar also briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the situation in the aftermath of cloudburst.
“I just spoke to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to brief him about the developing situation in Kishtwar region of Jammu. The news is grim & accurate, verified information from the area hit by the cloudburst is slow in arriving. All possible resources are being mobilized from within and beyond J&K to manage the rescue operations,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X.
Omar said he wouldn’t be speaking to channels or news agencies.
“The Government will share information as & when possible,” he added.
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