As many as 250 Amarnath pilgrims from Karnataka are believed to be in Jammu and Kashmir, where at least 15 people have died and dozens are missing after flash floods caused landslips near the Baltal base camp.
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) said a 24/7 centralised call centre has been set up at the State Emergency War Room Karnataka for reaching out to relatives of the stranded and updating the latest measures undertaken for safe return of the strandees.
The State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) has received 15 calls from relatives of the pilgrims, the centre said. “There are mobile communication issues since there is a communication shadow region along the terrain. As of now, the details of around 250 yatris who are in groups along with tour operators hailing from Karnataka received at SEOC have been shared with NDRF Control Room and Integrated Command and Control Center under Divisional Commissioner’s Office, Kashmir and Amarnath Shrine Board to provide any assistance on priority. J&K Government and NDRF have opened relief centres for the stranded pilgrims and arrangements have been made to safely evacuate them to safer locations,” the centre said.
The pilgrims are natives of Ramanagara, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapura, Mysuru, Mandya, Shivamogga and Dakshina Kannada districts, said Manoj Rajan, Commissioner, KSNDMC.
