Journalism of Courage
On Friday (July 8), a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst hit a camp near the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
More than a dozen people were killed, while nearly 30 were injured. Some 15,000 people have been rescued. (PTI Photo)
The cloudburst occurred at around 6 pm, washing away at least 25 tents that were part of the camp. (PTI Photo)
The Army, J&K Police and National Disaster Relief Force were rushed to the site to carry out rescue and relief operations.
The Amarnath Yatra has been temporarily suspended until rescue operations conclude. (PTI Photo)
A Mi-17 chopper has been pressed into service. The people who were injured were airlifted for treatment. (PTI Photo)
Cloudbursts are short-duration, intense rainfall events over a small area. According to several studies, climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts. (PTI Photo)
The J&K administration has released helpline numbers. (NDRF: 011-23438252, 011-23438253; Kashmir Divisional Helpline: 0194-2496240; Shrine Board Helpline: 0194-2313149). (PTI Photo)
The Amarnath Yatra began on June 30 and was slated to continue for 43 days. It has been organised after two years following the revocation of J&K’s special status in August 2019 and the pandemic. Here, pilgrims wait in line to register for the Yatra, in Jammu on Saturday. (PTI Photo)
