At Least 30 Dead, Including 9 In Landslip On Vaishno Devi Route; Schools, Offices Shut News24 –

Relentless lashings of heavy rain led to a landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Visitors atop the Trikuta hills faced imminent danger due to the continual rainfall in the area. As per a recent update, nearly 30 people have lost their lives in an unexpected landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, around 14 people were injured, officials said. Several devotees have also been trapped in the area, cut off due to the landslip.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions and offices, except for essential services and law and order departments, because of the heavy rain. The Meteorological Department has forecast very heavy rainfall in the Jammu division over the next 40 hours. Water levels in rivers such as the Basantar, Tawi, and Chenab have reached dangerous highs, raising further concerns for locals.

The pilgrimage to the famed shrine in Reasi district was suspended when the mountains gave way under the constant rain. The sudden landslide triggered a continuous fall of stones, boulders, and rocks around 3 pm, leaving unsuspecting locals badly affected. The falling debris has also led to roadblocks.

Rescue operations are underway near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari, officials said. The landslip struck at a point about halfway along the winding 12 km trek from Katra to the hilltop shrine.

Heavy rains in Jammu have killed three people, damaged dozens of houses and bridges, and caused flooding as rivers overflowed, forcing the suspension of traffic on key highways and the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage. CM Omar Abdullah is flying in to monitor the “serious” situation.

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