Amarnath cave flash floods: Rescue operation called off, 15 dead, all missing traced, says J&K LG Manoj Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha said for the future they are planning a more secure pilgrimage and the matter has been taken up with engineers and digital mapping of the Amarnath holy cave will be done to make the yatra safer.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha informed on Thursday (July 14) that Amarnath rescue operation has been called off and all the missing persons have been traced successfully. He said, “Total 15 persons were killed in this tragic accident and 55 were injured, out of which 53 were discharged from hospital and two are undergoing treatment and in a day or two they too will be sent to their homes.”

The J&K LG said that all missing persons have been located. “Our PCR had received 200 calls about missing persons and subsequently all the persons were traced, so there are no missing persons left. He added, “Rescue operation has completed, and no further dead bodies were found in debris.”

Manoj Sinha said for the future they are planning furthermore secure pilgrimage as the matter has been taken up with engineers and digital mapping of the holy cave be done to make the yatra safer. “Surveyor General of India to conduct a Digital Contour Mapping (DCM) of Amarnath Cave Shrine and its adjoining areas so that steps are taken to prevent human losses due to natural calamities,” Sinha said. 

“I have requested the Surveyor General of India to conduct a Digital Contour Mapping of Amarnath Cave Shrine and its adjoining areas. The survey will recommend steps to be taken for preventing human losses in case of natural calamities at the cave shrine as seen on July 8,” the J&K LG said while speaking to mediapersons at Raj Bhawan. 

He said a wall was constructed by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department where a flash flood occurred last year, adding that “it is believed that the casualties in the recent cloud burst at Amarnath Cave Shrine would have been more if there was not that wall”. 

On questions being raised that the number of pilgrims was increased even though a committee constituted by the Supreme Court two years ago had fixed the number of pilgrims at 7,500 from both routes, the J&K LG said, “The SASB, however, fixed the number of pilgrims for both routes up to 10,000 recently as the facilities were improved this year." 

Besides NDRF, SDRF, JKP and other Central forces who played a great role in the timely rescue operation after the cloudburst, the LG thanked the local people of Kashmir who helped Amarnath pilgrims at the time of crisis. 

He also said that those killed in the Amarnath cave cloudburst that resulted in flash floods will get Rs 5 lakh of which he had insurance cover beside Shri Amarnathji shrine board will pay additional Rs 5 lakh to the nearest of the deceased family” Manoj Sinha said that pilgrimage is going smoothly, and more than 1.5 lakh pilgrims have visited the holy cave to offer prayers to Lord Shiva.