Cloudburst near Amarnath base camp leaves 3 dead

Srinagar: Three persons were killed and 19 others injured after a cloudburst struck near the base camp of Amarnath yatra along the shorter 16-km Baltal route to the cave shrine in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, officials

said on Friday.

Two other persons are missing after the cloudburst last night.

However, the yatra is going on smoothly from the arduous track along with the traditional 45-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, the officials said.

Authorities have allowed over 1000 pilgrims to proceed towards the shrine from the Baltal base camp.

"So far three bodies were recovered which include that of a girl, aged 13 and a boy, aged 12. At least 19 others have sustained injuries and two have gone missing," the official said.

"The cloudburst struck near the Baltal base camp and water entered some tents there," the officials said, adding those present at the camp were moved to safety after the cloudburst.

The officials said the deceased persons were not pilgrims but were camping at Baltal to earn their livelihood. The officials identified them as cobbler Deepak Kumar (35) of Delhi and shoeshiners Pooja and Vikram, both residents

of Rajasthan.

In the morning, 11 persons were reported missing but majority of them reported to the base hospital. One of them was found in a critical condition and was taken to Srinagar for specialised treatment, the officials said.

Officials said 2940 pilgrims left Nunwan base camp along the Pahalgam route in south Kashmir to pay obeisance at the cave shrine which houses the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.

They said 2624 pilgrims visited the cave and offered prayers till 1 PM, taking the number of pilgrims who offered prayers at the shrine to 2,88,677 so far.

The yatra was going on smoothly from both the routes, the officials said.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) P K Tripathi said a total of 29 persons including 26 pilgrims and a CRPF jawan died during the ongoing yatra which commenced on July 2.

"A total of 26 pilgrims have lost their lives in the yatra area till date, out of whom 24 died due to medical reasons and two expired due to an accident," he said.

He said a CRPF personnel and a community kitchen operator also died of cardiac arrest, while a porter died after he was washed away by a stream. The yatra is scheduled to end on August 29, coinciding with the festival of Rakhsha Bandan.

The CEO advised pilgrims to follow the health advisory issued by the Board and take medical assistance available in the Yatra area to prevent any medical complications.

He also advised yatris to take precautions while undertaking this arduous pilgrimage.

The Shrine Board, in coordination with State Health Department, Army, State Police, CRPF, BSF, SSB and NGOs has made elaborate arrangements for providing health facilities at all the camps and en route the shrine.

The health facilities have been established at points which are at approximately 2 km distance, in the entire Yatra area, to provide maximum health facilities to the pilgrims, he said.

They said two persons are still reported missing and efforts are on to trace them.