Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, July 9: As many as 16 people were killed and dozens more were washed away by the flash flood that was caused by a cloudburst at the revered cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir on Friday night. It also flooded tents and community kitchens.
Over 15,000 pilgrims have moved to the lower base camp, according to officials, while more than 40 people are still unaccounted for.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir reached Amarnath Holy cave today early morning and are supervising the rescue operations.
The lower Amarnath Cave site’s impacted region was searched for missing people throughout the night while the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, or ITBP, resumed the rescue effort. According to an official, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has dispatched three teams totaling roughly 75 rescuers.
Meanwhile, BSF MI 17 chopper been pressed into action to air transport injured persons and dead bodies as well from Neelgrah helipad/ Baltal to BSF Camp Srinagar for further treatment or further ferrying bodies to their homes.
#UPDATE | 9 bodies have been airlifted from Neel Grath to Srinagar by BSF MI-17 Chopper: BSF
— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2022
