Vaishno Devi landslide: Four injured near Banganga area, rescue operations underway

Mata Vaishno Devi Landslide: A landslide struck the old track to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday morning, injuring at least four pilgrims. The incident occurred around 8:50 am near Gulshan Ka Langar, close to Banganga—the starting point for the yatra where pony riders typically gather—and was triggered by heavy rains that battered Katra, the base camp for the pilgrimage.

A rescue operation was immediately launched, and all four trapped pilgrims were evacuated to a nearby hospital. Authorities reported that rescue efforts were still underway according to the latest updates.

In a separate incident on the Baltal route of the Amarnath Yatra in Ganderbal district, a landslide on Wednesday evening washed four pilgrims downhill at Railpathri. Three sustained injuries, while a 55‑year‑old woman named Sona Bai from Rajasthan was declared dead upon arrival at Baltal base camp hospital. With her passing, the death toll in this year’s Amarnath Yatra has risen to 15.


Pilgrimage operations on both routes remain temporarily suspended due to unsafe weather conditions. Authorities have deployed rescue and relief teams and urged pilgrims to exercise caution as they work on clearing debris and restoring safe access.