In a devastating turn of events, a landslide on the pilgrimage route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine has left at least five people dead and 14 others injured. The incident, triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, occurred near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari at approximately 3 pm on Tuesday afternoon.
Rescue operations are currently underway, and the pilgrimage has been completely suspended. The landslide struck a section of the 12-km trek to the shrine, about halfway along the route. While the yatra had already been suspended on the Himkoti trek since morning, it had continued on the old route until authorities made the decision to halt all pilgrimage activity at 1:30 pm, just before the disaster.
The incident is part of a larger crisis in the Jammu region, which is being battered by relentless heavy rains, leading to widespread floods, landslides, and the suspension of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Authorities are on high alert, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directing officials to take all necessary measures to manage the serious situation.
This is a developing story, and further updates will be provided as more verified details become available.