Amarnath Yatra suspended on both routes due to heavy rains

Indian Hindu pilgrims trek to the holy cave of Amarnath in Chandanwari, 111 km (69 miles) southeast of Srinagar, August 22, 2004. Thousands of Hindus trek to the holy cave of Amarnath annually, situated in the Kashmir mountains at a height of 12,500 feet (3810 meters) where they worship an ice formation that Hindus believe to be the symbol of Lord Shiva. REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli NO RIGHTS CLEARANCES OR PERMISSIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS IMAGE FK/LA - RP5DRHZAZCAB

The Amarnath Yatra was suspended on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes today due to inclement weather, officials said. The yatra has been suspended on both the routes as the tracks are slippery because of rain, a spokesperson of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said here.

While no pilgrim is allowed to proceed towards the cave shrine on foot, some yatris are using the helicopter services to undertake the pilgrimage, he added.

A flood alert was sounded in south and central Kashmir after many parts of the state were lashed by monsoon rains intermittently since June 27, leaving thousands of pilgrims who have reached the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal district and Pahalgam in Anantnag district stranded.

The rains also triggered landslides and shooting stones at several places along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway yesterday, but timely action by the authorities concerned ensured that the 260-km all-weather road connecting the Valley with the rest of the country, remains open.

Officials said over 5,000 pilgrims from various parts of the country had reached Jammu to participate in the yatra.

Despite incessant rains, the pilgrimage to the 3,880 metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas commenced as per schedule on June 28 after several hours of delay. However, the pilgrimage faced frequent disruptions owing to continuous rainfall.

The 60-day yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 26 coinciding with the 'Raksha Bandhan' festival.