Situation normal after cloudburst near Amarnath shrine
Srinagar : Situation is under control on Thursday following improvement in the weather after cloudburst in the higher reaches due to which nallah near Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas had started flowing heavily.
The shrine was safe, official sources said, adding there was no pilgrim in the area as Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has already cancelled the pilgrimage 2021 in the wake of COVID-19.
Personnel from different agencies are now busy removing stones and mudslides from the area, where tents of security forces, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), health department and SDRF were located near the shrine.
Weather has improved today as compared to yesterday when 22.8 mm rainfall was received at Pahalgam during the past 24 hours, sources told UNI.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman said due to cloudburst in higher reaches, there were gusts of water near the Holy Cave area of Shri Amarnathji Shrine and the nallah adjoining the Holy Cave started flowing heavily yesterday afternoon.
The joint team of SASB, Police and Army acting swiftly, evacuated all the staff present close to the Nallah. No loss of human lives or property is reported.
The Holy Cave shrine is safe, he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who briefed him about the present situation and efforts made by the joint team of officials, Police and Army.
”The situation is under control and the flow of water in the nallah is normal. A team of SDRF is camping at Baltal and on stand-by to meet future challenges. An NDRF team is also on stand-by in Srinagar to tackle natural calamities due to incessant rain in the region. The SASB and the administration are closely monitoring the situation,” Lt Governor said.
In 1969, 40 pilgrims died due to cloudburst in Pahalgam and in 1996, 214 yatris died on traditional pilgrimage Pahalgam route due to heavy rain and cloudbursts.
Two pilgrims were killed on July 27, 2015 at Baltal, base camp due to landslides. In 2018, three yatris were killed due to landslides at Brari Marg Railpatheri on shortest Baltal-cave route.
UNI
