Vaishno Devi landslide: Death count rises to 30

Relentless heavy rain led to a landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hill on Tuesday afternoon. The landslide struck at a point about halfway along the winding 12-km trek from Katra to the hilltop shrine. There are two routes up to the shrine -- while the yatra had been suspended on the Himkoti trek route since morning, it was going on on the old route till 1.30 pm when authorities decided to suspend it till further orders in view of the torrential rain.

The Jammu region has been experiencing intense monsoon activity over the past few days, resulting in swollen rivers, landslides, and widespread disruption in low-lying and hilly areas. Earlier, on August 17, seven people lost their lives and 11 others were injured in a cloudburst in the Kathua district.

Pilgrims asked to replan their yatra

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has asked intending pilgrims to replan their pilgrimage to the revered shrine atop the Trikuta hill in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir once the weather improves. "In view of recent incessant rain and inclement weather, all the yatris are hereby advised to replan their yatra to the shrine once the weather improves," the board said in a post on X.

It also announced a helpline desk following the landslide. "In view of the landslide incident at Adhkuwari, a dedicated Helpline Desk has been established at Niharika. May contact for the updates. Call/WhatsApp: 9906019460/9906019446," the board said in another post."

Railways cancel 22 trains tomorrow in Jammu division due to rain 

Meanwhile, the Northern Railways on Tuesday cancelled the next day's 22 trains halting at or departing from Jammu and Katra railway stations, and short-terminated 27 trains in the division. Heavy rain lashing the Jammu region has disrupted rail traffic.

Of the 22 cancelled, nine trains are from Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, and one from Jammu, officials said. The remaining trains were scheduled to arrive at Katra, Jammu and Udhampur stations.

Train services have also been suspended from Pathankot to Kandrori in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy soil erosion and flash floods at the Chakki River on Tuesday. Twenty-seven trains were short-terminated at Firozpur, Manda and Chak Rakhwalan, and Pathankot, they said. Train operations, however, continue on the Katra-Srinagar stretch, they said.