13 killed in Amarnath cloudburst tragedy, three dozen missing
Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Jul, 2022 12:37 PM
Srinagar, July 8 (IANS) At least 13 yatris were killed, five others injured and around three dozen missing after a cloudburst near the Amarnath cave shrine on Friday evening caused flash floods, officials said.
J&K DGP Dilbag Singh said 13 pilgrims were killed in the cloudburst that hit the area around 5.30 p.m.
At least three langars (community kitchens) and 25 Yatri tents were washed away in flash floods caused by the cloudburst. Sources said that around three dozen people are missing in this tragedy and efforts are on to locate them.
Rescue teams were immediately rushed to the spot, some using helicopter services. The rescue operation is still going on and the authorities are trying to ascertain the exact casualties or damage caused by the calamity. However, as darkness has engulfed the area, rescue operation are being impeded.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar had earlier told reporters that rescue operations by various agencies is underway, the situation is under control and the injured are being airlifted for treatment.
Officials said that following the cloudburst, water surged above/the sides of the cave after heavy rains at the upper reaches.
Earlier on Friday, the strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway was blocked by landslides and mud slush triggered by rain at many places, affecting passage of pilgrims to the two base camps in the Kashmir Valley.
The yatra was flagged off on June 30 after remaining suspended for two years due to the Covid pandemic, and so far, over one lakh devotees have completed the pilgrimage.
The about 70-feet tall tree uprooted naturally and fell on the students when they were playing under it. Condition of a student and a woman conductor was stated to be critical.
Sharing a picture of a recent meeting, he said: "Sharing a picture from my most recent meeting with my dear friend, Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. Always passionate about strengthening India-Japan ties, he had just taken over as the Chairman of the Japan-India Association."
Mann, 48, divorced his first wife Inderpreet Kaur in 2015. He has two children from that marriage -- daughter Seerat Kaur Mann (21) and son Dilshan Singh Mann (17), who attended Mann's swearing-in ceremony on March 16. The Chief Minister made a surprise wedding announcement a day earlier. It is believed to be an arranged marriage.
Arora, who has been elected for the second consecutive time as the MLA from Sunam, expressed gratitude towards the party national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and assured that he would discharge the responsibility assigned to him with honesty and dedication.
The motive behind the murder was not yet clear, according to the police. Police said, the man went to a local market for shopping along with his family. He was shot dead when he was on his way back home.
In his previous marriage to Inderpreet Kaur, which ended in a divorce in 2016, Mann has two children -- son Dilshan and daughter Seerat -- who are currently staying in the US with their mother. Both children had attended Mann's swearing-in ceremony at Khatkar Kalan on March 16.
