- Photo: IANS
NEW DELHI: At least 32 pilgrims, 16 among them women and two children, were killed and 23 others injured after a massive landslide hit them on Tuesday (Aug 26) on the Vaishno Devi track route, officials said on Wednesday (Aug 27).
The authorities have identified 20 of those dead, while other bodies were still unidentified. The victims were from across the country.
The rescue operation by the Army, CRPF, NDRF and SDRF was ongoing and debris was being removed to rule out the possibility of more people trapped there.
The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board authorities had initially said that five people had died and 14 were injured. However, the number of casualties was increasing as the debris was being removed. It is feared that the number might further rise.
The Jammu region has witnessed widespread damage and loss of lives due to cloudbursts and landslides during the incessant rains that have been continuing since Monday.
The Vaishnodevi yatra has been suspended after the tragedy hit the region at about 3 pm on Tuesday.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the landslide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, “The loss of lives due to a landslide on the route to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is saddening. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. The administration is assisting all those affected. My prayers for everyone’s safety and well-being”.
Modi on Wednesday assured continued assistance to the people of Jammu and Kashmir when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah briefed him about the widespread damage in Jammu caused by the ongoing floods triggered by torrential rains that have hit the region.
Omar, who reached here from Srinagar this morning after the air flights resumed, visited the worst-affected areas and assessed the situation.
He wrote on X, “Spoke to Hon PM @narendramodi Sb a short while ago. I briefed him about the situation in J&K from the worst hit areas as I toured the parts of Jammu, along the banks of the Tawi, that saw a lot of damage yesterday. I’m grateful for his assurance of continued assistance to the people of J&K”.
The Chief Minister visited the flood-affected areas of Jammu to assess the situation on ground. He assured of taking all necessary measures to safeguard people in vulnerable areas.
He also visited the 4th Tawi Bridge at Bagwati Nagar, Jammu, to take stock of the extensive damage caused to it.
The bad weather in J&K had earlier this month targeted Machail Mata pilgrims in Kishtwar where at least 67 of them were killed and about 40 are still missing after a cloudburst.
The torrential rains that triggered flash floods in the region have damaged at least three vital bridges, two on the Jammu-Pathankot highway, and also road and other infrastructure. Electric and water supply in many areas of Jammu was snapped for the past nearly 24 hours. Internet and mobile phone services were also hit.
Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has directed officials to restore electric and water supply in the affected areas. He said on X that more than 5000 people were evacuated from low-lying flooded areas to safety. Army, NDRF & SDRF is working in coordination with the Divisional Commissioner’s office and we are ensuring that there is adequate supply of relief materials & all possible assistance is being given to those affected.
Flood-like situation was also being witnessed in the Kashmir valley. The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, wrote on X, “In view of prevailing weather conditions, Jhelum water levels at Ram Munshi Bagh, Srinagar have crossed Alert levels”.
Meanwhile, Army troops along with CRPF personnel rescued eleven BSF and nine Army personnel who were last evening stranded in flood waters in the forward posts.
Several students and staff members of the Agriculture University stranded in the flood waters that had entered the campus here were also rescued by Army and CRPF jawans.
School students trapped in flood waters at Swanjhna were also rescued by Army troops. In view of the bad weather alert, authorities have today shut all government and private offices and also education institutions across the Jammu division.
Movement of people outside their homes between 8 pm to 8 am has been banned in the region. - The Statesman/ANN
