Bad weather halts Amarnath yatra

Two girls died in a cloudburst in south Kashmir even as the  Amarnath yatra was stopped due to inclement weather on Sunday.Vital Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed for vehicular traffic due to landslides triggered by heavy rain. The tributaries of River Jhelum continued to swell as it’s been raining heavily in Jammu region since past midnight. 

Police said that a cloudburst hit Adoo village in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam area on Sunday afternoon and washed away a family of four members.Police said the bodies of two sisters have been recovered while their mother and brother were untraceable till this report was filed. Police said that they have launched a rescue operation in the area where water level in lidder Nallah has increased to dangerous levels.

Aroo is located in the vicinity of mountain tracks leading to Holy Amarnath Cave where annual pilgrimage is going on since July 2. The inclement weather forced the authorities to call of the pilgrimage temporarily as weatherman has predicted more rainfall in the area.This is the second time when the pilgrimage was stopped due to bad weather. Earlier, the yatra was halted for few hours on July 10 but it resumed with improvement in weather conditions.

Officials of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) that regulates and manages the annual yatra, scheduled this year for 59 days, said that yatra has been temporarily suspended due to incessant rainfall. The pilgrims have been stopped at base camps and their ascendance towards the holy Cave would be allowed after weather conditions improve in the area. 

The pilgrims approach the Cave through traditional and longest trek from Pahalgam and treacherous Baltal route in north-eastern Kashmir.Authorities said that no pilgrim was allowed to proceed towards Kashmir Valley from Jammu Base Camp due to closure of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. The 300-km highway was closed after rainfall triggered landslides in highly vulnerable patches between Udhampur and Ramban districts.Over 1 lakh 47 thousands pilgrims have so far visited the holy Cave for darshan of the ice stalagmite known as Shiva lingam.

Meanwhile, at least 15 families were trapped in lasoo-Guddar village of Damhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The rainfall triggered flash floods in the area. Police said rescue teams have been dispatched to the area to ensure safety of the marooned families.