Amarnath landslide toll reaches 5; 5,382 more pilgrims leave for shrine

Srinagar: The death toll from a landslide on a trek route to the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir have increased to five, police said on Wednesday.

The landslide occurred on Tuesday evening on the Brarimarg-Railpatgri area triggered due to rains. This, however, has not diminished the devotion and faith even a bit as over five thousand more pilgrims left for the cave shrine on Wednesday.

The authorities, however, have suspended the yatra owing to bad weather.

Two bodies were recovered on Tuesday while the other three on early Wednesday. Three others have sustained injuries in the landslide.

"The identities of the victims were being ascertained," the police said.

Flash floods had also hit the Baltal base camp on Tuesday, but there was no casualty as water remained confined to the parking lot of the camp without affecting its main area.

Inclement weather has again affected the annual pilgrimage.

The MET department has forecast rains on Wednesday on both the Pahalgam and Baltal treks leading to the cave shrine.

Also Read: Three pilgrims die during Amarnath Yatra

Amid the bad weather conditions, a fresh batch of 5,382 Amarnath pilgrims left Jammu on Wednesday for the cave shrine in the Kashmir Valley although authorities have suspended the yatra due to bad weather again.

According to the police, the yatra was suspended from both the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps in the Valley due to rains and slippery road conditions.

"5,382 pilgrims, however, left Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas earlier today. Of these, 2,030 pilgrims left for Pahalgam while 1,678 left for Baltal. They were led by an escorted convoy of 139 vehicles," police sources said.

So far, 54,833 pilgrims have performed this year's pilgrimage that started on June 28.