Death toll in Vaishno Devi landslide rises over 30, several injured

At least 36 people were killed and several others injured when a massive landslide struck the Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra track near Ardhkumari in Katra on Wednesday. The incident occurred amid continuous heavy rainfall that triggered flash floods and landslides across Jammu and Kashmir. Rescue teams continued search operations through the debris amid fears that more individuals could still be trapped along the yatra route.

Heavy rainfall caused severe disruption in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu recorded 296 mm of rain in 24 hours, breaking a 52-year-old record, while Udhampur received 629.4 mm, nearly double its earlier highest in a single day. Critical infrastructure was badly damaged, with bridges collapsing, power lines falling, and telecom services disrupted in multiple districts. More than 3,500 residents were evacuated by Tuesday as waterlogging and floods affected low-lying areas, and a flood alert was issued after the Jhelum crossed the danger mark near Sangam in south Kashmir.

Evacuation and rescue operations were being carried out by joint teams of the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, and local volunteers. C-130 and IL-76 aircraft carrying relief supplies were dispatched from Hindon to Jammu, while helicopters such as Chinooks and Mi-17s were placed on standby. Several localities in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua were inundated, and distress calls were being received at control rooms for evacuation assistance.

Educational institutions across Jammu and Kashmir were ordered shut, and all Class 10 and 11 examinations were suspended. Flight operations at Leh airport were heavily impacted, with several cancellations and delays, while flights from Jammu were suspended before resuming later in the day. Train services were also affected, with Northern Railways cancelling 22 trains and short-terminating 27 others before restoring partial operations by Wednesday afternoon.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the situation and directed officials to speed up restoration of power, water, and communication services in affected areas. He visited the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital to meet the injured. Compensation of Rs 5 lakh from the Shrine Board and Rs 4 lakh from the Disaster Management Board was announced for families of the deceased. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also announced Rs 4 lakh assistance for pilgrims from the state who died. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioned the level of disaster preparedness, recalling the 2014 floods.