Amarnath Yatra: After cloudburst tragedy, over 15,000 rescued, 40 still missing

After 13 deaths due to cloudburst and flash floods on Friday evening, the Amarnath Yatra remains suspended in Jammu and Kashmir. More than 40 people are still missing and rescue operations - that continued overnight - are still on. On Saturday morning, 11 injured yatris (pilgrims) were airlifted from the shrine - the Holy Cave - to the Baltal base camp hospital as the IMD (India Meteorological Department) office in Srinagar predicted fresh flash floods. J&K's Lt Governor Manoj Sinha is monitoring the situation.

“Most of the pilgrims who were stranded near the holy cave area due to flash floods last evening have been shifted to Panjtarni. The ITBP expanded its route opening and protection parties from lower holy cave to Panjtarni. No pilgrim left on track. About 15,000 people safely shifted,” the Indo-Tibetan Border Police said in a statement.

Those injured are being treated at a makeshift hospital near the shrine, officials said. Early on Saturday morning, 11 injured yatris were brought to the Baltal base camp hospital in army choppers. "After the initial treatment, those injured will be shifted to Srinagar," said a doctor. Health officials said that all the hospitals have braced up for the situation, and leaves of the staff and doctors are cancelled. Four bodies were also brought to the Baltal base camp.