Death Toll Climbs to 30 in Vaishno Devi Yatra Route Landslide, Rescue Operations Continue Amid Chaos in Jammu and Kashmir

Reasi: A massive landslide struck the Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra route in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Tuesday, claiming 30 lives and leaving more than 20 people injured, plunging the entire region into mourning. The landslide, triggered by relentless heavy rains, hit the pilgrimage route near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwar, roughly midway along the 12-km trek from Katra town to the revered hilltop shrine.

According to Reasi SSP Paramvir Singh, the tragedy unfolded around 1:30 pm after hours of incessant downpour had already forced authorities to suspend the Himkoti trek route earlier in the day. Pilgrimage on the old route continued until the landslide struck, burying scores of pilgrims under rocks and debris. Rescue workers raced against time as survivors were rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Katra. Officials fear the death toll may rise further as search and rescue operations continue.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, local administration, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were immediately pressed into service. NDRF officers confirmed that personnel conducted a manual and canine search in the debris to locate survivors, while CRPF’s 6th Battalion troopers swiftly evacuated the injured to CHC Katra. “Rescue and Relief Operations in Ardhkuwari, Katra, Jammu region. Due to continuous heavy rain in Katra and nearby area today, landslides near Ardhkuwari injured several pilgrims. 6 Bn CRPF’s troopers swiftly launched rescue ops, safely evacuating the injured to CHC Katra. The troopers are also helping stranded pilgrims to move out safely. All kinds of medical and logistical supports have been provided. Rescue operation is still on,” the CRPF said in a post on X.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed the incident “extremely tragic” and assured the Union Territory of all necessary assistance. “The landslide incident caused by heavy rains on the Vaishno Devi Yatra route in Jammu and Kashmir is extremely tragic. In this regard, I have spoken with the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Omar Abdullah ji, and the Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha ji. The local administration is engaged in relief and rescue operations to assist the injured, and the NDRF team is also reaching there,” Shah said. Condolences also poured in from political leaders across the country. BJP National President JP Nadda expressed grief over the tragedy, calling it “extremely heartbreaking” and extending prayers to the families of the victims.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has been further aggravated by two days of incessant rainfall, which triggered flash floods and widespread destruction across the region. Roads, bridges, and buildings have been washed away in parts of the Kashmir Valley, severely damaging infrastructure. Communication lines also collapsed, leaving millions cut off from telecom services across the Union Territory.

Authorities were forced to suspend traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar and Kishtwar-Doda national highways, while dozens of smaller hill roads remain blocked or washed away due to landslides and flash floods. In the wake of the worsening weather, all government and private schools in the Jammu division were ordered to shut down until August 27, and the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education postponed all Class 10 and 11 examinations scheduled for Wednesday.