INDIA, July 17, 2025 (Indian Express): The Amarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended on Thursday after a woman died and three others were injured due to a landslide triggered by relentless rains along the Baltal route in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. According to officials, the valley witnessed continuous heavy rainfall for nearly 36 hours, leading to hazardous conditions along the pilgrimage paths. This is the first time the yatra has been suspended from the Jammu base camp this year. The woman died after being struck by a falling rock, while the others sustained injuries in the incident, PTI reported. “Due to incessant rains over the last two days, restoration work is now required on the tracks along both Baltal and Pahalgam routes,” said Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar Bhiduri, adding that the yatra has been suspended for July 17 from both Pahalgam and Baltal base camps.

However, pilgrims who had already reached the Panjtarni camp last night are being allowed to descend towards Baltal with support from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Mountain Rescue Teams. A two-day weather advisory warning of heavy rain has been issued for Jammu and Kashmir, including the pilgrimage routes. Authorities said the yatra is likely to resume on Friday, depending on weather conditions. To facilitate quick restoration, the BRO has deployed additional men and machinery to both tracks. So far, 247,000 pilgrims have visited the 12,730 foot-high cave shrine since the yatra began on July 3. Over 400,000 people have registered online for the yatra this year, compared to 510,000 pilgrims who visited the shrine last year. The 38-day annual pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 9.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/why-amarnath-yatra-was-paused-first-time-this-year-10132677/

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