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Amarnath cloudburst: Dramatic videos of flash floods show extent of damage
Amarnath cloudburst live updates: Ten people have been killed and several injured in the cloudburst which took place in Amarnath.
A cloudburst took place near the Amarnath cave in Jammu and Kashmir, killing ten people and leaving several injured. Rescue operations were underway to help those stranded. The cloudburst took place at around 5:30 pm that triggered flash floods, sweeping away tents close to the vicinity of the holy cave.
Several people are still missing and the officials fear death toll may go up. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah spoke to Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and took stock of the situation.
"NDRF, CRPF, BSF and local administration are engaged in the rescue work. Saving people's lives is our priority. I wish all the devotees well," the minister said.
As rescue operations are in full swing, videos are doing rounds on social media highlighting the damage and the rescue operations being carried out. In a video shared by news agency ANI, water is gushing down the hill in the lower reaches of the Amarnath cave.
The NDRF, state disaster relief force (SDRF), the Border Security Force and the local administration are carrying out the rescue operations. According to reports, the gushing waters hit the base camp outside the shrine, damaging 25 tents and three community kitchens where the pilgrims are served food.
“One NDRF team is always deployed near the holy cave, it immediately engaged in the rescue work. One more team has been deployed & another is on its way. 10 casualties reported so far; 3 rescued alive,” NDRF director general Atul Karwal told ANI.
The injured pilgrims have been airlifted for treatment, the J&K Police ADGP Vijay Kumar said. On July 5, the yatra was temporarily suspended from the Pahalgam route amid bad weather.
