Landslide, bad weather delay Amarnath yatra

Jammu, Aug 17: The Amarnath yatra was delayed by more than six hours today due to inclement weather and blockage on Jammu-Srinagar national highway, official sources said here.

Due to landslide at Nandini area near Vaishno Devi and Ramban belt, the fresh batch of 628 pilgrims left at 1130 hrs today for Pahalgam and Baltal base camps, from where they would move towards the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir.

The batch, comprising 346 men, 42 women, six children and 233 sadhus, left in a fleet of 16 vehicles, including 14 buses, one light motor vehicles (LMV) and a motorcycle, admist tight security.

With today's convoy, the 44th this year, a total of 55,851 pilgrims had left for the holy shrine from the Jammu base camp since July, sources added.

UNI