Vaishno Devi landslide toll mounts to 34, more feared trapped in debris

Following record-breaking rainfall that caused widespread disruption in Jammu and Kashmir, the death toll from the landslide en route to the Vaishno Devi shrine rose to 34 on Wednesday, as rescue operations continued into a second day. At least 23 pilgrims were injured in the incident.

With more people feared trapped, rescue teams of the Army, CRPF, Vaishno Devi Shrine Board personnel and the J&K police are continuing to dig through the mounds of rubble to look for survivors. While 32 bodies were recovered from the debris, two of those injured died in hospital.

Of the 34 deceased, four were from Punjab, while the remaining victims were from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and other states. The victims from Punjab have been identified as Raj, Ramsharan, Krishna and Manpreet. Another victim has been named as Ram Pal from Haryana.

The pilgrimage remained suspended for the second day. While the yatra had been stopped on the Himkoti trek route since morning on Tuesday, it was going on from the old route till afternoon when the authorities decided to suspend it as a precautionary measure.

The landslide took place on Tuesday near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Ardhkuwari, approximately halfway along the 12-km trek from Katra.

In a statement on X, PM Narendra Modi said, “The loss of lives due to a landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple is saddening. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. The administration is assisting all those affected. My prayers for everyone's safety and well-being.”

Heavy rain had forced some pilgrims to take shelter under a shed in the area where the landslide occurred. It is mandatory for all pilgrims to carry Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags.

Katra, the pilgrimage’s base camp, remained deserted on Wednesday as landslides on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway prevented vehicles from Jammu from reaching the town.

The injured are being treated at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital in Katra, where medical teams have been instructed to provide specialised care. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the hospital. “I met devotees injured in the landslide. I urged doctors to ensure best possible treatment. My gratitude to emergency responders, SMVDSB employees and citizens whose intervention saved many lives,” he said.

The L-G also said he briefed PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the flood situation, confirming that relief and rescue work was underway in various districts. The government also announced relief for the kin of the deceased. While the shrine board’s policy provides for an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of any individual who dies in an incident, an additional Rs 4 lakh will be provided from the SDRF.

The Northern Railways ordered the cancellation of 58 trains to and from Jammu and Katra stations, while 64 trains were short-terminated or short-originated at various stations in the division. Rail traffic, which was briefly restored on Wednesday morning with six trains departing from Jammu after a day-long suspension, has again been halted due to flashfloods and heavy soil erosion in the Chakki river area, officials said.