IAF evacuates 34 injured Amarnath pilgrims to Srinagar

Srinagar, July 10: The Indian Air Force (IAF) evacuated 34 injured pilgrims from the medical facility at the Amarnath yatra base camp to a hospital on Sunday.

"An additional 34 injured pilgrims were evacuated by IAF Mi-17 V5 and Cheetal helicopters on Sunday," a defence spokesperson said here.

He said the IAF choppers also airlifted 20 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, along with six canines, from Srinagar to take part in the search operation to trace the missing people believed to be stuck under debris.

Flash floods triggered by heavy rain struck near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas on Friday, leaving at least 15 people dead and more than 30 missing.

Meanwhile, the Army has pressed heavy machinery into service in order to restore the route to the cave shrine at the earliest. "Army engineers are working round the clock to clear the debris and restore the route to the holy cave," the official said.

Army jawans are supplementing the efforts of JCB excavators in clearing the route to the cave housing a naturally formed ice-lingam. The official, however, added that inclement weather can play spoilsport in the restoration efforts.