Intense rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday temporarily halted the Amarnath yatra, affected traffic on the National Highways and left most rivers and streams in spate. An official said rain on Thursday morning resulted in slippery tracks up to the cave shrine on the twin routes of Baltal and c and the pilgrimage was halted for the safety of pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department has predicted widespread light to moderate rain in Jammu and Kashmir in the next 24 hours, including the Baltal-cave, Pahalgam-cave axis too.
Several pilgrims said the chopper services to have been impacted by the inclement weather and many pilgrims were stranded near the Panchtarni helipad.
Vaishno Devi shrine closed
The Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, located in the Trikuta hills, was also closed for pilgrims in Reasi district due to heavy downpour in the hilly belt
Intense rain also triggered landslips on the Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-Poonch highways and impacted the movement of traffic.
A number of advisories were also issued by several districts advising people against getting closer to water bodies, “because the water level in all major water bodies was flowing above the danger level, especially the Chenab River”.
The Army rescued at least five civilians trapped in flash floods in the Pir Panjal valley’s Poonch district. Students and teachers were also rescued from a school building in the Muthi-Udhaywala area in Jammu.
