Summary:
Srinagar, Jul 9 (PTI) The death toll in the flash flood triggered by heavy rain near the Amarnath cave shrine rose to 16 on Saturday as the search operations continued without a break amid fears that many are still trapped under the debris.
Officials said 15,000 stranded pilgrims were shifted to the lower base camp of Panjtarni and 25 injured people were rushed to hospitals after the flash flood and landslides rummaged through tents and community kitchens on Friday afternoon.
According to an Army official, mountain rescue teams and lookout patrols with high-tech equipment and sniffer dogs have been deployed for the search and rescue operation.
"Air rescue operations started Saturday morning and six pilgrims were evacuated by Army helicopters.
The military medical teams are receiving patients and casualties at the Nilagrar helipad for onward evacuation," an official said.
An Mi-17 chopper of the BSF"s air wing has been pressed into service.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has also deployed advanced light helicopters for rescue operations.
A Border Security Force (BSF) spokesperson in Delhi said, "Sixteen bodies have been shifted to Baltal." The ITBP has expanded its route opening and protection parties from the lower part of the holy cave up to Panjtarni, a spokesperson of the force said.
Additional Director General of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Vijay Kumar, who holds charge of the Kashmir range, reached the holy cave shrine on Saturday morning to supervise the rescue operations being conducted by security forces and the National Disaster Response Force.
He said the rescuers were clearing the debris to look for survivors as the administration was cross-checking the data of pilgrims to get the exact number of casualties.
Every pilgrim has been provided with a Radio Frequency Identification card this time because of terror threats.
Among those who escaped the tragedy was Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh.
The legislator and his family members, who reached Amarnath by a helicopter, decided to ride ponies on their way back as the weather began deteriorating.
"We sensed that the weather suddenly changed for the worse.
In that circumstance, the helicopter service would also be cancelled.