As many as seven people were killed and 14 injured due to a landslide en route the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, atop the Trikuta hill, in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, on Tuesday afternoon. Due to extreme weather conditions and incessant rain, the yatra was suspended earlier in the day.
Helicopter and battery car service to the shrine were already halted, officials said. Rescue operations are underway near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari, where the landslide hit at around 3 pm. The disaster struck at a point about halfway along the winding 12-km trek to the shrine.
Meanwhile, three days of continuous rain has wreaked havoc across many parts of Jammu. Life has been thrown out of gear across Jammu region due to relentless rain, which has caused huge loss to the residential properties and even took a toll on lives at several places. Widespread damage was reported to private and public property, prompting the administration to suspend traffic on many roads, including the Jammu-Srinagar and Batote-Doda-Kishtwar National Highways. Vehicles were also barred from the Jammu-Poonch highway, following landslides at various places.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has advised people to remain cautious amid a weather forecast that is predicting moderate to intense rainfall with possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in high altitude areas till August 27. In a post on X, the office of the Chief Minister said Abdullah had directed all departments to remain on high alert, as heavy rain has caused waterlogging in several residential areas, with rivers and nullahs flowing above danger mark.
“Control rooms are active and CM Office is in touch with departments. Priority is being given to drainage in affected areas and restoration of essential services like water supply and power. People are advised to remain cautious,” the Chief Minister added.
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