The yatra to the shrine has been suspended till 1 pm as a precautionary measure.
Restoration work underway after landslide struck the old track to the Vaishno Devi shrine, in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir PIC/ AFP
At least ten pilgrims were injured after a landslide struck the old track to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Monday.
The landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall that lashed Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims heading to the shrine atop the Trikuta hills, officials said, as reported by PTI.
The incident took place around 8:50 a.m. at ‘Gulshan Ka Langar’ near Banganga, the starting point of the yatra, where pony riders usually gather along the old route.
A rescue operation was launched immediately, and ten trapped pilgrims were rescued and shifted to the hospital, officials said, according to PTI.
The landslide caused critical injuries to three people and minor injuries to seven others. All the injured were evacuated and admitted to the hospital, said Sachin Kumar Vaishya, Chief Executive Officer of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Vaishya, who also serves as the District Magistrate of Jammu, rushed to the spot and confirmed that a full-fledged rescue and debris clearance operation is in progress, PTI reported.
Officials said the rescue was jointly undertaken by local volunteers, shrine board staff, SDRF, police, and CRPF personnel.
An earth-mover was deployed to speed up the rescue efforts, they added.
The critically injured—Uppan (70) of Chennai, his wife K. Radha (66), and Rajinder Bhalla (70) of Haryana—were admitted to Narayana Hospital, while Leela Raikwar (56) of Uttar Pradesh was treated at the Community Health Centre in Katra, officials said, as per PTI.
They added that Suresh Kumar (66) of Maharashtra and two locals, Nikhil Thakur (26) and Vicky Sharma, were discharged after receiving first aid, PTI reported.
"I was inside the booking office when stones began hitting the overhead iron structure. We alerted others and rushed out, fearing a landslide," Thakur told PTI over the phone after receiving treatment for a foot injury at the health centre.
He said there was a small group of devotees and pony riders present due to the heavy rains.
According to the meteorological department, Katra received 184.2 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Monday.
Another landslide blocked the new track near Himkoti on Sunday night, and restoration work is underway.
(With inputs from PTI)
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