One pilgrim lost their life, and two others were injured after a landslide and shooting stones struck the new Mata Vaishno Devi route in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Monday. The landslide occurred near Panchi, causing damage to an overhead iron structure.
Following reports of the landslide, the disaster management team from the Shri Vaishno Devi Shrine Board quickly arrived at the scene to carry out relief and rescue operations.
Landslide hits Mata Vaishno Devi track in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir.
One dead, another injured. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/P1rutIF0Ya
---Advertisement---— Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) September 2, 2024
The injured pilgrims were transported to a hospital for treatment.
In response to the landslide, movement along the route has been temporarily halted, and authorities have been instructed to clear the path. The administration has advised pilgrims to exercise caution during the yatra and proceed with awareness of the route’s condition.
Each year, millions of devotees visit the Vaishno Devi Temple. In 2023, the temple recorded its highest number of visitors in the past decade, with 9.35 million devotees. According to official figures, 9.35 million people visited the Vaishno Devi Temple on the Trikuta Hills in Reasi district, Jammu. The previous record was set in 2013 with 9.324 million visitors. Anshul Garg, the Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, noted that 2023 saw the highest pilgrimage turnout in ten years, with 9.35 million visitors.
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