At least 16 people have died and 40 are feared missing after flash floods swept through campsite in near the holy Amarnath Cave Temple in India controlled Jammu and Kashmir.
The floods struck after a short period of torrential rain, described locally as a cloudburst, around 17:30 on 08 July 2022. The rain sent flash floods cascading through a camp of 25 tents and 3 community kitchens for pilgrims to the Amarnath Cave Temple near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, and about 141 km from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported on 09 July that 16 dead bodies have been recovered, 65 people were injured and shifted to hospital for further treatment. More than 40 pilgrims are still missing.
Teams from Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National and State Disaster Response Forces, Border Security Force, Indian Army and Air Force among others were deployed to the site to help with rescues and evacuations. Helicopters started rescue operations early on 09 July.
Thousands of pilgrims are thought to be stranded near the site. The huge operation to move pilgrims to safer areas in Panjtarni and Nilagrar is ongoing, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in the incident.
“Deeply pained by unfortunate incident of cloudburst at Shri Amarnathji holy cave, in which precious lives have been lost. I send my heartfelt condolences to bereaved families. Rescue operation by NDRF, SDRF, BSF, Army, JKP & Shrine board admin is in progress, the LG wrote on Social Media.
Heavy rain has caused flooding and landslides in other areas of the region over the last few days. Local media reported one person died in landslide in the Mandi area of Poonch on 08 July. Meanwhile the search is ongoing for 2 people swept away by away by floods near Rajouri town on the same day.
Social Media
#NDRF Teams from Holy Cave. Brari Marg and Panjtarni working tirelessly with the administration in rescue efforts and evacuated stranded pilgrims. #AmarnathYatra pic.twitter.com/RclKf4CS6N
— 13 NDRF LADHOWAL (@13Bnndrf) July 9, 2022
Following the unfortunate cloudburst near the Amarnath shrine cave, #IAF helicopter and transport aircraft have commenced operations to airlift #NDRF personnel to the site and rescue the pilgrims. pic.twitter.com/OnhyVK6or7
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) July 9, 2022
Helicopter evacuation of the injured #Yatris underway. Concurrently #Rescue operations are being carried out. 11 injured #Yatris evacuated so far this morning.#IndianArmy helpline number – 9149720998#SANJY2022 @NorthernComd_IA@adgpi pic.twitter.com/cs7KrHuSYc
— Chinar Corps🍁 – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) July 9, 2022
Aerial rescue operations by #Chinarwarriors continue in full swing.#IndianArmy #AmarnathYatra #Amarnath #AmarnathCloudburst #SANJY2022@NorthernComd_IA@adgpi @PRODefSrinagar @crpf_srinagar @crpfindia @BSF_Kashmir @PIBSrinagar pic.twitter.com/SKadI22N3T
— Chinar Corps🍁 – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) July 9, 2022
ITBP teams searching for the missing near the holy #Amarnath cave. Search operations are in full swing.#AmarnathYatra2022 #AmarnathCloudburst #Himveers pic.twitter.com/sgukprIsau
— ITBP (@ITBP_official) July 9, 2022
आईटीबीपी के हिमवीर पवित्र अमरनाथ गुफा के पास बाढ़ प्रभावित इलाके में ख़ोज अभियान के दौरान I#Himveers of ITBP in search operations near holy #Amarnath cave. #AmarnathYatra pic.twitter.com/O4uVcVqtWY
— ITBP (@ITBP_official) July 9, 2022
#Himveers of #ITBP in search operations near the holy #Amarnath cave.#AmarnathYatra #AmarnathCloudburst pic.twitter.com/96jFCFHj8A
— ITBP (@ITBP_official) July 9, 2022
Rescue teams of @BSF_India helping NDRF, SDRF & Army teams with the evacuation of the injured & tracing the missing persons. 15 patients airlifted to #Baltal since morning.#AmarnathYatra pic.twitter.com/NG6QEmUL8n
— BSF Kashmir (@BSF_Kashmir) July 9, 2022
