Rain Fury in J&K: 17 Killed, CM Convenes Emergency Meet

Rains and landslides in J&K kill 17, halt Vaishno Devi yatra; CM Omar Abdullah and LG Manoj Sinha brief Amit Shah on relief.

- AJAY JANDYAL

Torrential rain wreaked havoc across Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, leaving at least 17 people dead, including around 12 pilgrims buried in a massive landslide on the Vaishno Devi shrine track in Reasi district, officials said.

The landslide struck near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari around 3 pm, sweeping boulders, trees and debris onto the old 12-km trek route from Katra to the shrine. Fourteen pilgrims were injured and several others were feared trapped as rescue teams, backed by three Army columns, launched urgent relief and evacuation operations. The yatra has been suspended until further notice.

Eyewitnesses recalled the terrifying moments when the mountainside gave way. Kiran, a pilgrim from Mohali, said from her hospital bed in Katra: "I saw stones and boulders crashing down. People were screaming and running for safety. Out of our group of five, three are injured."

Elsewhere in Jammu province, four deaths were reported in Doda district-three who drowned after slipping into a swollen river and one in a house collapse.