Vaishno Devi landslide: 30 dead in Katra as heavy rains batter Jammu and Kashmir

At least 30 people have died after heavy rains triggered a landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir. SSP Reasi Paramvir Singh confirmed the toll to ANI.

The landslide struck around 3 pm near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari, about halfway along the 12-km trek to the shrine. Rescue teams rushed to the spot and operations are still going on.

Officials said the pilgrimage was suspended soon after the incident. The Himkoti route had already been closed in the morning due to rainfall, and the old track was also shut later for safety reasons.

The Jammu administration has restricted night movement of people because of rising flood threats. Continuous rainfall has caused severe damage in many areas, swelling rivers and streams and leading to flash floods in parts of the region. The Meteorological Department has issued an advisory.

In Kathua, a bridge over the Sahar Khad river was damaged after the water level rose dangerously, disrupting traffic on the important Jammu-Pathankot Highway. Local authorities are monitoring the situation closely.

The Jammu region has been witnessing intense monsoon showers for days, causing landslides, floods, and major disruptions to daily life, especially in hilly and low-lying areas.

Earlier this month, heavy rains had already brought tragedies to the region. On 17 August, seven people died and 11 others were injured after a cloudburst in Kathua district. On 14 August, another cloudburst during the Machail Mata Yatra in Kishtwar killed at least 55 people.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on 19 August that the Kishtwar disaster was caused by a cloudburst, not by the bursting of glacial lakes, and warned that finding survivors could be impossible.

Inputs from agencies