Jammu, February 24 The heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir last year resulted in 152 deaths, injured 179 people, and caused damage to 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 the Kashmir Valley, according to data compiled by the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department (DMRRRD).
Official sources said that the deceased included about 100 pilgrims who lost their lives in a cloudburst and landslide en route to the Machail Mata shrine in Kishtwar district and the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district in August.
A devastating cloudburst struck the Chisoti village – the gateway to the Machail Mata shrine – in Kishtwar on August 14, killing 63 people and injuring many others, while 30 went missing. This was followed by a landslide triggered by relentless rains on the Vaishno Devi route on August 26, which left 32 dead and 20 others injured.
The government said that compensation for loss of lives, injuries, and house damages has been disbursed according to the norms under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The DMRRRD said that Rs 289.39 crore has been released under the SDRF during the fiscal year 2025-26, including Rs 200.39 crore for the Jammu division and Rs 89 crore for the 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 the destruction of 3,531 huts and cattle sheds, the death of 1,461 livestock, and the loss of 1,035 tin sheds.
In the Kashmir division, 12 houses were fully damaged, 44 severely, and 597 partially, besides damage to 71 huts and cattle sheds, and the loss of 54 livestock, the government said.
The DMRRRD said that the Ministry of Home Affairs deputed an 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.
A memorandum of loss and damages was submitted to the ministry on November 6, 2025.
At the request of the UT government, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) deputed a team of experts for post-disaster needs 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 IMCT report, the Centre under the 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, which has been constituted by the Government on February 3.
In addition to the Rs 289.39 crore under the 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 the Poonch district for landslide-affected houses in the villages of Surothi and Kala-ban, Rs 95 lakh in the Reasi district for landslide victims at Mata Vaishno Devi, Rs 253.25 lakh in the Ramban district, and Rs 21.50 lakh in the Kathua district 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 for the 63 deaths and 29 injured persons during the Chishoti cloudburst incident, the government said.