The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi yatra was suspended on Tuesday after a massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall near the shrine at Ardhkuwari in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district claimed at least 30 lives.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as devotees scrambled to safety. “The landslides began near the Garbh Joon Gufa temple at Ardhkuwari… people rushed down via the Tarakote Marg as ambulances kept moving up and down. The yatra has been stopped, and returnees are being escorted back,” said Satish Kumar, a pilgrim from Banaras.
Several devotees reported being separated from their companions amid the panic. Sunny Giri, a pilgrim from Amritsar, said, “Five people were with me, but I have not been able to find them since yesterday. I fear they might be injured. I don’t even know which hospital to look for them in.”
The disaster also disrupted transport links, leaving pilgrims stranded in Katra after multiple train cancellations. “We had darshan but are unable to return home because trains are cancelled. We are scared and want to go home,” said Rajkumari Devi, a devotee from Bihar’s Motihari.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah highlighted the communication breakdown across Jammu and Kashmir following the heavy rains. “Still struggling with almost nonexistent communication… No fixed-line WiFi, almost no browsing, WhatsApp barely works. Haven’t felt this disconnected since the terrible days of 2014 and 2019,” he posted on X.
Rescue and relief operations are underway as authorities work to clear debris, restore connectivity, and assist stranded pilgrims.