A cloudburst took place near the Amarnath cave in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, 28 July. No loss of life has been reported so far, reported news agency ANI. Visuals of the incident showed water gushing down the side of the mountain near the cave.
According to NDTV, officials have told people at public areas to move to higher grounds for safety purposes.
The NDTV report further said that people in Gund and Kangan have been asked to avoid the river Sindh as the water level may suddenly rise and the currents could become very strong.
Two SDRF teams are already present at the cave and one additional team has been deputed from Ganderbal.
Dr Piyush Singla, Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, told ANI that the holy cave is absolutely safe and that there is no loss of life and property. Joint teams are ready and the situation is being monitored closely, he added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha over the cloudburst near Amarnath cave.
NDRF teams are being sent there for relief operations and an accurate assessment of the situation, he wrote on Twitter after speaking to Sinha.
The Amarnath Yatra was cancelled this year for the second year in a row amid the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
However, all the traditional religious rituals will be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine, as per past practice.
“It’s important to save people’s lives. So, it is not advisable to hold and conduct this year’s pilgrimage in the larger public interest,” the Lieutenant Governor’s office had stated while announcing the cancellation of the pilgrimage.
Cloudburst in J&K's Kishtwar
Earlier, on Wednesday, seven people were reported dead and over 25 missing, following a cloudburst in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar.
As per PTI, officials have stated that rescue teams have been rushed to Honzar village of Dacchan tehsil and more details are awaited. A joint rescue operation by police, army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is underway.
Most of Jammu region has been inundated with heavy rains for the past few days. Expecting more rains till July-end, authorities in Kishtwar have asked those living along water bodies and slide-prone areas to stay vigilant, reported PTI.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI, and NDTV)
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