Srinagar: Political leaders from different parties today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the deaths in a cloudburst that hit Kishtwar.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President, Member of Parliament from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah said, “I am deeply saddened over the loss of lives due to the flash floods caused by a cloud burst in Dachhan Kishtwar. I express my condolences with the bereaved families, whose loved ones were devoured in the catastrophe. My thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time,” he said.
While expressing grief over the incident, Vice President Omar Abdullah prayed that those missing are recovered safe and sound. “My deepest sympathies are with the bereaved families. I share the grief of those whose loved ones have lost their precious lives in the mishap. May those whose valuable lives were devoured in the mishap find peace in the hereafter,” he said.
Expressing deep grief and anguish over the tragic deaths, National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana in a statement sought further stepping up of rescue measures to trace the reported missing persons and urged the administration to provide interim relief to the sufferers. He also sought specialised treatment of those injured in the natural calamity.
Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “Distressed to hear about the cloudburst in Kishtwar today. My deepest sympathies with those who have lost their loved ones & prayers for those missing.”
Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari in a statement extended solidarity with the bereaved families and prayed for the eternal peace to the departed souls. “The reports pouring in from Kishtwar villages like Honzar and Dacchan are very grim. The administration must do its best to trace out the missing as immediately as possible besides shifting the inhabitants of flood affected localities to safer places,” he added.
He urged the administration to airlift the injured for treatment and evacuate the old aged, women and children to the safer places in the first phase of its flood rehabilitation plans.
He also urged the Apni Party workers and volunteers to help the people in their relief and rescue operations.
J&K Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone in a statement said “I am extremely saddened and pained over loss of precious lives due to flash floods caused by cloud burst in Kishtwar. I pray for the safety of the people in the affected areas and express solidarity with the bereaved families in their hour of heartrending grief.”, he said in a statement.
Lone said that all efforts should be made to trace the missing persons immediately and all possible help must be extended to the people of Kishtwar in tackling this natural calamity”, he added.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President G A Mir in a statement, expressed grief over cloudburst causalities in Kishtwar and conveyed deepest condolences to bereaved families. “I would urge the Govt to speed up the work to trace out the missing persons and pray for their safe recovery. It was terrible and unfortunate news, I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the Kishtawar cloudburst incident,” Mir said.
Chairman People’s Democratic Front ( PDF) Hakeem Yaseen in a statement said “I was shocked and distressed to hear about the loss of precious human lives and colossal damage to residential structures in cloudburst in Kishtwar.” He expressed deepest sympathies with those who have lost their loved ones He has also prayed for safety of those who are still missing and early recovery of those who have got severely injured in the incident.