New Delhi/Srinagar: A BSF MI 17 chopper has also been deployed to air transport injured persons and dead bodies from the Neelgrah helipad and Baltal to the BSF camp at Srinagar for further treatment or to ferry their bodies to their homes.
A Border Security Force (BSF) spokesperson said doctors and medical staff of the paramilitary force treated nine patients who were critically injured in the floods. They were rescued to a lower altitude Neelgrath base camp. A small BSF team is also deployed at the Neelgrath helipad to assist the pilgrims coming from the holy cave. About 150 people stayed at the BSF camp created in Panjtarni on Friday night and 15 patients have been airlifted to Baltal on Saturday morning, he said.
At least 16 people died and around 40 are missing after flash floods triggered by a cloudburst near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, which also ravaged the base camp on Friday evening, the NDRF informed. At least 15,000 pilgrims have been rescued, the ITBP spokesperson said.
No landslide has been reported so far at Amarnath though it is raining. However, the extreme weather conditions have not caused any hindrance in the rescue operation, the NDRF DG Atul Karwal informed on Saturday. 4 NDRF teams with over 100 rescuers along with the Indian Army, SDRF, CRPF and others are involved in the rescue work, he added.
The pilgrims who were stranded near the Amarnath holy cave have been shifted to the lower base camp of Panjtarni, an ITBP spokesperson said on Saturday. The border guarding force has also expanded its route opening and protection parties from the lower part of the holy cave up to Panjtarni, he said.
"Most of the yatris, who were stranded near holy cave area due to the flash flood that occurred last evening, have been shifted to Panjtarni. The evacuation continued till 3.38 am. No yatri is left on the track. About 15,000 people have been safely shifted till now," the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) spokesperson said.
Also read: Amarnath Cloudburst: 16 dead, dozens missing, Prez, PM offer condolence
The Chinar Corps of the Indian Army informed that six pilgrims have been evacuated as part of their air rescue operation, Saturday morning. Medical teams are present at the Nilagrar helipad, it said adding that mountain rescue teams and lookout patrols are continuing their search operation. "IndianArmy is engaged in rescue and relief operations, and providing assurance to Amarnath Yatris and local service providers that everything is under control and all is being done to help everyone," the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir tweeted.
The flash flood near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir swept away scores of people, killing several yatris and swamping tents and community kitchens on Friday evening. The yatra that began on June 30 has been suspended following the tragedy and a decision on its resumption will be taken after rescue operations get over, a senior administration official had said.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department on Friday said that the deaths and destruction near the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir was due to a highly localised rain event. According to weather scientists, the shrine reported 31 mm of rainfall between 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm on Friday.
"It was a highly localised cloud only over the holy cave. Such rain had happened earlier this year as well. No flash flood," said Sonam Lotus, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Srinagar. The region above the Amarnath cave shrine received 28 mm of rainfall between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm, a scientist from the IMD said. Lotus said there was a possibility of a severe rainfall event in the higher reaches of the mountain near the cave shrine of Amarnath. (With Agency inputs)
