Jammu/Srinagar: The Amarnath Yatra was suspended for the second consecutive day on Saturday following incessant rains and landslides, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded in Jammu and at various places en route to the cave shrine.
Union minister Jitendra Singh assured the pilgrims that senior officials are monitoring the situation and requested them not to panic and to follow instructions issued by authorities from time to time.
Heavy rains have lashed large parts of Jammu and Kashmir since Thursday night while several high-altitude areas, including Mahaguns Top and adjoining areas near the Amarnath cave shrine, experienced snowfall. Some places witnessed record rainfall over a 24-hour period for July.
“The Yatra remains suspended from both the Pahalgam and the Baltal routes for the second day due to the inclement weather,” an official said.
“No fresh batch of yatris were allowed (to leave) from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp this morning in view of the suspension of the Yatra in the Valley and the inclement weather,” a police official told PTI.
The meteorological department has predicted widespread light to moderate rains, accompanied by thundershowers, under the influence of monsoon winds and western disturbances across Jammu and Kashmir till Sunday.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the shrine, situated at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas, commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The Yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.
Over 80,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine so far.
The pilgrims were stranded in Jammu and at various places including Chanderkote along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which was closed for traffic following multiple landslides and the washing away of a portion of the road near Panthiyal tunnel.
But the inclement weather has not dampened the spirits of devotees.
The devotees were also stopped at the Baltal and the Nunwan base camps. A landslide occurred on the Baltal route of the Yatra track following heavy rain in the area. However, there were no reports of any loss of life.
The Yatra will resume once the weather improves, the officials said.
On Friday, a batch of 4,600 pilgrims was stopped at Chanderkote along the national highway in Ramban district to avoid crowding at the Pahalgam base camp after the Yatra’s temporary suspension.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department said intermittent light to moderate rain is likely to continue at most places in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, with the possibility of heavy to very heavy showers at isolated places of the Jammu division.
From July 10 to 14, the weather is likely to remain generally cloudy, with intermittent thundershowers at a few places towards the evening or early morning, the Met department said.
The weather system can lead to temporary disruption of surface transportation over the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, Mughal Road, the Srinagar-Leh highway, and other major hilly roads, the officials said.
