Katra: At least 30 people have lost their lives after heavy rains triggered a massive landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, officials said in Jammu.
Several pilgrims are reported injured in the disaster.
The incident comes just days after a devastating cloudburst in Kishtwar killed several hundred people, underlining the growing vulnerability of the region to extreme weather events.
According to officials, torrential rains in the Trikuta Hills, where the Vaishno Devi temple is located, loosened slopes and caused a large portion of land to collapse, sweeping away pilgrims and workers in its path. Rescue operations were launched immediately by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and Army units, who have been working round the clock to retrieve bodies and search for survivors.
“Rescue teams are on the ground. The terrain is difficult, but every effort is being made to save lives,” an official involved in the operation said.
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