NewKerala.com

Key Points

The Vaishno Devi Yatra remains suspended for the ninth consecutive day due to dangerous weather conditions. Heavy rainfall has caused landslides and flash floods, making pilgrimage routes unsafe. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation while restoration teams work on damaged infrastructure. Pilgrims continue waiting at the base camp in Katra, hoping for improved conditions to resume their spiritual journey.

Key Points: Vaishno Devi Yatra Suspended 9 Days Amid Heavy Rain Landslide Risk

  • Yatra suspended due to landslides and flash floods from heavy rainfall
  • Safety concerns in Trikuta Hills prevent pilgrimage resumption
  • High-level committee formed to investigate fatal August 27 landslide
  • IMD issues red alerts across multiple northern Indian states
3 min read

J-K: Vaishno Devi Yatra remains suspended for 9th consecutive day amid heavy rainfall

Vaishno Devi pilgrimage halted for 9th day due to heavy rainfall and landslides. Authorities prioritize pilgrim safety as restoration teams work on damaged routes.

"Authorities have maintained that the yatra will only resume once the weather improves and all routes are declared safe for pilgrims. - Official Statement"

Katra, September 3

Due to ongoing poor weather and safety concerns in the Trikuta Hills in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra is still on hold for the ninth day in a row on Wednesday.

Heavy rains over the past week have caused landslides, flash floods, and disruption of essential routes leading to the shrine.

Authorities have maintained that the yatra will only resume once the weather improves and all routes are declared safe for pilgrims. District administration and Shrine Board officials are closely monitoring the situation, while rescue and restoration teams remain on high alert.

Meanwhile, the base camp at Katra wears a deserted look, with several devotees still waiting in the hope of resuming their pilgrimage.

On August 27, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi yatra was suspended due to a landslide that killed 34 people and heavy rainfall. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the constitution of a high-level three-member committee to investigate the causes of the landslide.

Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Jal Shakti, Jammu and Kashmir, will head the committee, which includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu. According to an official order, the committee also includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu.

Meanwhile, amid heavy rainfall in several Indian states, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alert warnings for several districts across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, northern Punjab, northern Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, southwest Uttar Pradesh, northwest & eastern Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

According to IMD, districts under red alert in Jammu & Kashmir include Poonch, Mirpur, Rajouri, Reasi, Jammu, Ramban, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua, Doda, and Kishtwar. In Punjab, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Nawashahr, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Barnala, and Sangrur are under red alert; while in Himachal Pradesh, Mandi, Una, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, and Solan are under similar warnings. Haryana's Yamuna Nagar, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, and SAS Nagar are also under the same warning.

Between 8:30 am on Tuesday and 5:30 am on Wednesday, several regions in Jammu & Kashmir witnessed significant rainfall. The highest was recorded in Reasi at 203 mm, followed closely by Katra at 193 mm, Batote at 157.3 mm, Doda at 114 mm, and Baderwah at 96.2 mm. Jammu city itself received 81 mm, while other stations such as Banihal (95 mm), Ramban (82 mm), Kokernag (68.2 mm), and Pahalgam (55 mm) also saw heavy rainfall.

Moreover, rainfall was also reported in Srinagar (32 mm), Samba (48 mm), Kishtwar (50 mm), Rajouri (57.4 mm), Srinagar (32 mm) and Qazigund (68 mm) during the same period. Fresh data up to 6:45 am on September 3 showed extremely heavy rainfall in Jammu & Kashmir's Reasi at 230.5 mm.

Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, widespread rainfall was also observed across several states.

While parts of Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, coastal Odisha, coastal Maharashtra, coastal Karnataka, and the Andaman Islands experienced moderate rainfall, Chhattisgarh experienced heavy rainfall from 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday to 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
My family has been waiting in Katra for 5 days now. It's disappointing but we understand the authorities' concern. The landslides last week were tragic 😔
M
Michael C
Visiting from UK and was scheduled for darshan tomorrow. Climate change is making these extreme weather events more frequent globally. Stay safe everyone!
A
Aman W
The administration is doing the right thing by being cautious. After the tragic incident that took 34 lives, we cannot compromise on pilgrim safety. Jai Mata Di!
S
Sneha F
Hope the committee investigates properly and suggests permanent solutions. We need better infrastructure to handle such weather conditions in the hills.
V
Vikram M
230mm rainfall in Reasi! That's massive. The meteorological department's red alerts should be taken very seriously. Praying for everyone's safety in the region.
N
Nisha Z
My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones in the landslide. May Maa Vaishno Devi give them strength. The yatra will resume when she wishes it to.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50