The Amarnath Yatra has been stopped due to heavy rain and a deadly landslide near the Baltal route. A woman died and three people were injured. Rescue teams were sent and pilgrims were evacuated safely.
The Amarnath Yatra was suspended on Thursday after heavy rainfall and a landslide hit the Baltal route in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. One woman pilgrim reportedly died after being hit by a shooting stone and three others were injured on Wednesday.
This is the first time in 2025 that the Yatra has been stopped from Jammu, ever since it began on July 3. Indian Army and disaster relief teams have been deployed on the Amarnath Yatra route for rescue ops.
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Shocking video shows pilgrims stuck in mudslide
A dramatic video has surfaced from the Baltal route, showing a mudslide sweeping through the path. In the video, two pilgrims are seen being carried away by fast-moving muddy water. Luckily, they were rescued by people nearby.
Many other devotees were seen holding tightly onto railings to save themselves as water and mud rushed down the track.
Rescue teams rushed to the site
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were sent to the area quickly. They helped to evacuate pilgrims stuck on the route and took them to safe places.
Officials said that rescue operations were carried out carefully because the weather was still dangerous.
"Due to the continuous rains over the last couple of days, urgent repair and maintenance works are required to be carried out on the tracks. Therefore, it has been decided that no movement shall be allowed towards the Holy Cave from the two base camps today," ANI quoted the officials.
The Divisional Commissioner said that the pilgrims can descend from Baltal base camp, only if security teams are deployed there.
"However, yatris who stayed at Panchtarni camp during the preceding night are being allowed to proceed down to Baltal under adequate deployment of BRO and Mountain Rescue Teams," he said.
Yatra from Jammu also suspended
An official at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu told reporters that no pilgrim convoy was allowed to move toward Kashmir on Thursday. The bad weather in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions forced the administration to stop the movement of pilgrims.
This step was taken as a precaution to keep the pilgrims safe. Officials confirmed that there was heavy rainfall along both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes, which made the tracks unsafe.
Over 2.5 lakh pilgrims had darshan so far
Despite the suspension, the yatra has been going well for the last two weeks. Officials said that around 2.5 lakh pilgrims have already had darshan of the Shiv Lingam at the holy Amarnath Cave until Wednesday evening, according to the Department of Information & Public Relations (DIPR) Kashmir.
The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important pilgrimages in India, but it can also be very risky due to the rough terrain and changing weather. Authorities have asked pilgrims to stay updated on weather reports and follow all safety instructions.
The Yatra is likely to continue once the weather improves and the routes are declared safe again.
(With ANI inputs)
