Heavy rains briefly disrupt Amarnath Yatra at Ramban, Jammu-Srinagar highway restored

After rains triggered landslides and mudslides and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district on Saturday morning, traffic movement was restored around 10 am, said officials.

After rains triggered landslides and mudslides and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district on Saturday morning, traffic movement was restored around 10 am, said officials.

Clearance work underway after Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed due to incessant rainfall and landslides, in Ramban on Saturday. (ANI)

“The blockade amid rains briefly disrupted Amarnath Yatra. A batch of over 3,000 pilgrims, who had left from Jammu city, was kept at Yatri Niwas at Chanderkote. However, they were sent as soon as the affected stretches were restored,” said a senior police officer.

Traffic was disrupted due to landslides and slush at Mehar and Dalwas areas of Ramban district.

Due to rise in the water level of Chenab River this morning, the settlement of nomadic Gujjars in Gadkhal area of Akhnoor in Jammu district was marooned.

“At least 97 families were shifted to safer location. A rescue operation was immediately launched after Chenab River breached a protection wall,” said a police officer.

He informed that a couple of days ago 43 families in the same area were shifted to safety.

The administration has set up temporary shelters for the affected families, he added.

In Doda district, a portion of the Thalela-Chirala link road was damaged in heavy rains that triggered landslide a flood like situation rose in the area.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Thathri, Athar Amin Zargar said, “There were heavy overnight rains that triggered landslides and damaged key roads between Pul-Doda and Thathri besides Thalela-Chirala link road. The debris were cleared and the affected stretches were restored in the afternoon.”

He also informed that the Doda-Kishtwar highway, which was closed between Shiva Bridge and Thathri petrol pump, has been restored for two-way traffic.

2 more Amarnath pilgrims die; total deaths during yatra climbs to 36

Srinagar : Two more Amarnath pilgrims have died, taking the death toll during this year’s pilgrimage in the south Kashmir Himalayas to 36, officials said on Saturday. The two pilgrims belonged to Rajasthan.

They have been identified as Phateh Lal Manaria (died at the holy cave) and Mangi Lal (died at the Baltal base camp). They were aged 60, the officials said.

While Manaria died of cardiac arrest, the cause of Lal’s death was being ascertained, they added.

These two deaths have taken the toll during the yatra so far this year to 36.

Cardiac arrest triggered by low oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there.

So far, more than three lakh pilgrims have visited the cave shrine to glimpse the natural ice lingam formation. PTI