Five dead, 14 injured in landslide on Vaishno Devi temple route
The pilgrimage to the shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district was suspended after the landslide, triggered by incessant rain, hit at Adhkwari
Five people died and 14 others were injured following a landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hill on Tuesday (August 26) afternoon.
Government officials said that the pilgrimage to the famed shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district was suspended after the landslide occurred, reported PTI. "Rescue operation is underway. Five bodies have been brought to CHC (Community Health Centre) in Katra. At least 10 to 11 people are reportedly injured. We will share any further information that we get," said Piyush Dhotra, SDM Katra, reported ANI.
Landslide occurred at 3 pm
The report further stated that rescue operations are near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari, where the landslide hit around 3 pm. The landslide took place at a point about halfway along the winding 12-km trek to the hilltop shrine.
The yatra had been suspended on the Himkoti trek route since morning, but had been continuing on the old route till 1.30 pm when authorities decided to suspend it till further orders in view of the torrential rain.
Also Read: Four dead in J&K's Doda after cloudburst, flash floods
Three days of continuous rain have wreaked havoc across many parts of Jammu.
Earlier in the day, four people died following a cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district. The cloudburst triggered sudden heavy rainfall resulting in flash floods that damaged at least 10 houses in the affected area. This incident follows recent deadly cloudbursts in Kathua and Kishtwar districts, indicating a pattern of severe weather events across the Jammu division.
Also Read: IMD issues red alert in J&K, Punjab, Himachal as Jammu reels under heavy downpour
What CM Omar Abdullah said
The India Meteorological Department has issued warnings for heavy rainfall across multiple districts, including Kathua, Samba, Doda, Jammu, Ramban, and Kishtwar. In response to adverse weather conditions, authorities ordered the closure of all schools in the Jammu division as a precautionary measure.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the situation in various areas of Jammu as "quite serious" and directed the administration to maintain high alert. During a morning meeting in Srinagar, he issued instructions to review flood mitigation measures and ensure emergency preparedness.
Abdullah announced plans to personally monitor the developing situation by taking the next available flight from Srinagar to Jammu. He authorised additional emergency funds for deputy commissioners to cover restoration work and other urgent requirements.
Also Read: Odisha floods: 170 villages sink as rivers overflow, IMD warns of more rain
The backdrop
Moderate to heavy rain continued for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, with almost all rivers and streams flowing above or near danger levels. This has resulted in submersion of several low-lying areas and roads throughout the city and surrounding regions, creating widespread disruption across the Jammu division.
(With agency inputs)