5 killed, ten injured in landslide near Vaishno Devi shrine; heavy rains disrupt trains, traffic in Jammu

Katra: At least five people were killed and 10 others injured as heavy rains led to a landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J-K) Katra on August 26, officials said.

Rescue teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident. The bodies and the injured were shifted to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Katra.

“Rescue operation is underway. Five bodies have been brought to CHC Katra. Ten to eleven people are reportedly injured. We will share further information as it comes,” Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Katra Piyush Dhotra told ANI.

The landslide that occurred near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari cave temple, located on the route to the Vaishno Devi shrine in J-K’s Katra, left some people trapped.

“A landslide incident has occurred near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari, some injuries are feared. Rescue operations are underway along with required manpower and machinery. Jai Mata Di,” the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) said in a post on X.

The landslide and continuous rains also hit railway services in the region.

Eighteen trains were cancelled due to the suspension of traffic on the down line between Pathankot Cantt and Kandrori following soil erosion and flash floods in the Chakki river, officials said.

They added that train movement was also suspended between Jammu Tawi and Katra, and between Jammu Tawi and Bari Brahman on the down line section. Four trains were short-terminated and short-originated.

Further, the Meteorological Department (MET) has issued an advisory warning of “intense to very heavy rain at scattered places and extremely heavy rain at isolated places” in Jammu division, and moderate to heavy rain in south Kashmir on Tuesday.

“Possibility of intense/heavy to very heavy Rain/thunder at scattered places & extremely heavy rain at isolated places of JMU Div & moderate to heavy rain in South KMR during 26 Aug. Cloud burst/flash floods at few vulnerable places with landslides/mudslides/shooting stones etc. stay away from water bodies/nallas/river embankments/loose structures etc. Waterlogging/flooding in the low-lying areas of JMU Div. All concerned are advised to stay alert/updated,” the advisory read.

Earlier on Sunday, a bridge over the Sahar Khad river near the Jammu-Pathankot Highway in Kathua district was damaged after the river began flowing in spate due to continuous rains in the region. The incident disrupted traffic on the highway, a key arterial route. Local administration teams are monitoring the situation closely.

The Jammu region has been experiencing intense monsoon showers for the past few days, causing rivers to swell, triggering landslides, and disrupting normal life in low-lying and hilly areas.

Earlier, on August 17, seven people lost their lives and 11 were injured in a cloudburst in Kathua district. (ANI)