Amarnath Yatra Cloudburst: 15 dead, 40 missing, PM Narendra Modi expresses grief - WATCH VIDEOS HERE

Amarnath Yatra Cloud Burst News: At least two langars near the holy cave have been affected due to the cloud burst. Fifteen people have lost their lives in the incident so far.

A massive cloudburst is reported from near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir today.

Amarnath Yatra Cloudburst news: A massive cloudburst is reported from near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir today. At least two langars near the holy cave have been affected due to the cloud burst. Fifteen people have lost their lives in the incident so far. The cloudburst hit the cave area at around 5.30 pm after heavy rains, they said. Police and other civil administration have launched a rescue operation as some langars were affected by the gushing waters, the officials said. There were no reports of any casualties so far, they said.

“Ten pilgrims have died, and their bodies have been recovered,” a senior NDRF official told Zee Media. Earlier in a tweet, police said that “some langars and tents have come under cloud burst/flash floods at Holy Cave. “08 deaths reported. Rescue operation by Police, NDRF & SFs in progress. Injured being airlifted for treatment. Situation under control,” IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said in a tweet.

PM Narendra Modo also expressed condolences over the incident. "Anguished by the cloud burst near Shree Amarnath cave. Condolences to the bereaved families. Spoke to Manoj Sinha ji and took stock of the situation. Rescue and relief operations are underway. All possible assistance is being provided to the affected," PM Narendra Modi tweeted.

अमरनाथ ब्रेकिंग :

गुफा के पास से आया एक और
विडियो…
अलग अलग टीमें राहत और बचाव कार्य में लगी हुई हैं

लेटेस्ट अप्डेट्स के लिए ⁦⁦@ZeeNews⁩ के साथ बने रहिए pic.twitter.com/brPc2WJ2my — Amit Prakash (@AmitPrakashRep) July 8, 2022

Earlier today, the tenth batch of over 6,100 Amarnath pilgrims left from here on Friday for the twin base camps of 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

Cloud burst occurred at lower holy cave Amarnath today. Two people feared dead so far.

Rescue operations on. pic.twitter.com/5tnlOi6PMv — Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) July 8, 2022

A total of 6,159 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here in a convoy of 249 vehicles amid heavy security of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), they said. Of these, 4,754 are males, 1,220 females, 35 children, 139 sadhus and 12 sadhvis, they said.

#WATCH | J&K: Visuals from lower reaches of Amarnath cave where a cloud burst was reported. Rescue operation underway by NDRF, SDRF & other agencies

(Source: ITBP) pic.twitter.com/o6qsQ8S6iI — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2022

They said 2,037 pilgrims heading for Baltal were the first to leave the Bhagwati Nagar camp in 95 vehicles around 3.30 am followed by the second convoy of 154 vehicles carrying 4,122 pilgrims for Pahalgam.

Anguished by the cloud burst near Shree Amarnath cave. Condolences to the bereaved families. Spoke to @manojsinha_ Ji and took stock of the situation. Rescue and relief operations are underway. All possible assistance is being provided to the affected. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2022

A total of 63,487 pilgrims have reached the valley from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp since June 29 -- when the first batch of pilgrims was flagged off by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. The annual 43-day yatra commenced from the twin base camps -- traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag and 14-km shorter Baltal in central Kashmir's Ganderbal -- on June 30.

#WATCH | J&K: Rescue operation underway at lower reaches of Amarnath cave where a cloud burst was reported. Two people dead so far pic.twitter.com/0pwry9gkJt — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2022

So far, over one lakh pilgrims have offered prayers at the cave shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam, officials said. The yatra is scheduled to end on August 11 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.