Banihal: A fresh batch of over 3,000 Amarnath pilgrims that left the base camp in Jammu for Kashmir on Saturday morning was briefly stopped in Ramban following landslides at two places along the Jammu-Srinagar highway, officials said.
Landslides due to rains were reported from Mehar and Dalwas areas along the 270-km highway but after removal of debris traffic movement was restored, officials said.
The 20th batch of 3,472 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu in 132 vehicles in the early hours of Saturday but the convoy was stopped at Chanderkote due to the closure of the highway, they said.
The pilgrims were later allowed to move towards their destinations in the Kashmir Valley to join the Yatra, the officials said, adding they reached Banihal around noon.
Of them, 2,515 pilgrims are listed to undertake the Yatra to the Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas from Pahalgam in Anantnag district and 957 by the Baltal route in Ganderbal district, the officials said.
Over three lakh pilgrims have already undertaken the pilgrimage to the shrine located at an altitude of 3,880 metres since it began on July 1.
Light to moderate rains and thunderstorms have been reported from many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, a meteorological department official said.
Rainfall is likely to continue throughout the day with forecasts of heavy spells in certain areas such as those in Kathua district. This will be followed by intermittent light to moderate rain at scattered places on Sunday, he said.
A Gujjar hamlet at Ghadkhal in the Akhnoor sector on the outskirts of Jammu was inundated due to rise in the water level of the Chenab river in the morning. According to officials, the water level of the Chenab at Akhnoor was 29.6 feet against the flood alert level of 32 feet.
The officials said a cloudburst around the Kota Nullah in Doda district early this morning washed away a stretch of the Thaleela-Chirala link road and created a flood-like situation.
“The cloud burst coupled with heavy rain resulted in mudslides and a flood-like situation in Kota Nullah. However no loss of life or injury was reported. Men and machinery are being deployed to clear debris from the road and restore it at the earliest,” Sub Divisional Magistrate, Thathri, Athar Amin Zargar said.
He said the Doda-Kishtwar stretch of highway which also got closed between Shiva Pull to Thathri Petrol Pump has been restored for two way traffic.
Torrential rains continued in most parts of Doda and Kishtwar districts for the third day on Saturday, resulting in the increase in water level in the Chenab and its tributaries Neeru and Kalnai.
The authorities have advised people to remain cautious and stay away from rivers, streams, and other vulnerable spots. (With inputs from PTI)
Two more pilgrims die; total deaths during Yatra climb to 36
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.
The 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.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine 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.
