The Amarnath Yatra was suspended for the second consecutive day on Saturday following incessant rains and landslides, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded in Jammu and various places in route to the cave shrine.
Assuring the pilgrims that senior officials are monitoring the situation, Union Minister Jitendra Singh asked them not to panic and follow the instructions issued by the authorities from time to time.
Heavy rains lashed large parts of Jammu and Kashmir since Thursday night, while several high-altitude areas, including Mahaguns Top and adjoining areas near the Amarnath cave shrine, experienced snowfall. Some places witnessed record rainfall in 24 hours in July.
“The jatra remains suspended from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes for the second day due to inclement weather,” the official said.
“No fresh batch of yatris from Bhagwati Nagar base camp was allowed (to leave) this morning in view of suspension of Jatra cruise in the valley and inclement weather,” a police official told.
The Meteorological Department has predicted widespread light to moderate rains accompanied by thunderstorms under the influence of monsoon winds and western disturbance in Jammu and Kashmir till Sunday.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the shrine, located at an altitude of 3,888 meters in the south Kashmir Himalayas, began on July 1 from the two foothills of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. The Yatra is scheduled to end in August. 31.
