News Analysis India

Tag: Amarnath

  • 13 dead, five rescued, 30 missing as cloudburst hits near Amarnath cave area

    By Online Desk

    SRINAGAR: At least 13 people were killed when a cloudburst near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas triggered flash floods Friday evening that damaged 25 tents and three community kitchens, police and NDRF officials said.

    An official on the ground said about 30-35 people are missing while five have been rescued.

    The cloudburst hit the cave area at around 5.30 pm after heavy rains, they said.

    #WATCH | J&K: Rescue operation underway at lower reaches of Amarnath cave where a cloud burst was reported. Two people dead so far pic.twitter.com/0pwry9gkJt
    — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2022
    The gushing waters hit the base camp outside the shrine, damaging 25 tents and three community kitchens where the pilgrims are served food, they said.

    NDRF Director General Atul Karwal told PTI that a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was based in the affected area even as two more teams from nearby locations of Barari Marg and Panchtarni have reached there.

    “We have three teams comprising about 75 rescuers in action right now,” Karwal said.

    Meanwhile, an official of the union territory administration said that the Amarnath yatra, which began on June 30, has been temporarily suspended in view of the tragedy, adding a decision on its resumption will be taken after rescue operations end.

    ALSO READ | Spoke with J&K LG, all assistance being provided: PM Modi on cloudburst near Amarnath cave

    Police and other civil administration have launched a rescue operation as some langars were affected by the gushing waters, the officials said.

    According to the automatic weather station at the holy cave, the area received 31 mm rainfall from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. A massive amount of water flowing turbulently after a cloud burst occurred in the lower reaches of Amarnath cave, claimed reports.

    #WATCH | Rescue operations are being carried out in cloudburst affected area at the lower Amarnath Cave siteA total of 10 Army rescue teams with Army Dogs continue rescue operations.(Source: Northern Command, Indian Army) pic.twitter.com/NZlcu3BmdO
    — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2022
    Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh confirms that he is “in constant touch with the UT administration. The SDRF and NDRF teams have promptly swung into action to provide all possible relief and assistance.”

    Meanwhile, Union Home minister Amit Shah said, “I have spoken with J&K LG Manoj Sinha pertaining to flash floods triggered by a cloudburst at Amarnath Cave. NDRF, SDRF, BSF & local admin are doing the rescue work. Our priority is to save the lives of people.”

    While, Vivek Kumar Pandey, PRO, ITBP said, “Situation is under control, rains are still going on. Looking at the hazard level, the Amarnath Yatra has been halted temporarily due to the area being inundated. If the weather remains normal and makeshift arrangements are made, then the yatra can be resumed tomorrow.”

    ALSO READ | Amarnath Cloudburst: Yatra suspended till further notice

    Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi extends condolences to bereaved families over the Amarnath cave cloudburst incident, saying, “I was very distressed to learn about the tragic death of the number of pilgrims on account of cloudburst near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in J&K.”

    The rescue teams have given emergency helpline numbers that are active in view of the cloudburst that happened. The 43-day Amarnath yatra began after a gap of three years.

    NDRF: 011-23438252, 011-23438253Kashmir Divisional Helpline: 0194-2496240Shrine Board Helpline: 0194-2313149

    (With inputs from agencies)

  • Amarnath shrine board to take ‘feedback’ from pilgrims on facilities

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Pilgrims visiting the Amarnath can now give their feedback to the shrine authorities for improving facilities.

    The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) on Monday launched pilgrim feedback services (PFS), officials said.

    People can rate their experience on overall yatra facilities, accommodation, sanitation and food quality in the camps, besides giving suggestions and comments.

    The system is taking the feedback directly through SMS from all the people who have undertaken the yatra, an official told PTI.

    Over 55000 pilgrims had offered prayers on the fifth day of the pilgrimage at the shrine, located at a height of 3880-meter and housing the naturally formed ice-shivling. The official said that feedback is being used for continuous upgrading of facilities.

    The Jammu Municipal Corporation has also employed young research assistants for two months to get feedback from pilgrims in Jammu city.

    The annual 43-day yatra commenced from the twin base camps — traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag and 14-km shorter Baltal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal — on June 30.

    A total of 39,269 pilgrims have left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the Valley since June 29, the day the first batch of pilgrims was flagged off by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. The yatra is scheduled to end on August 11 on Raksha Bandhan.

  • 43-day annual Amarnath yatra in J&K to begin on June 30

    By PTI

    JAMMU: The annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Amarnath located at a height of 3,880 metres in south Kashmir Himalayas has been scheduled to commence on June 30, an official said on Sunday.

    The decision to schedule the 43-day pilgrimage was taken at a meeting of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board chaired by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.

    “Today chaired Board meeting of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. The 43-day holy pilgrimage will commence on 30th June with all covid protocols in place & culminate, as per the tradition, on the day of Raksha Bandhan. We had in-depth discussion on various issues also on upcoming Yatra,” Sinha wrote on twitter.

    The Amarnath yatra was cancelled midway in 2019 ahead of abrogation of Article 370 in August that year, while only a symbolic yatra was observed the past two years due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.