J&K: Landslide on old Vaishno Devi route kills over 30
A deadly landslide, triggered by nonstop rain, hit the old 12-km route to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
The disaster struck around 3pm on the old 12-km trek from the base camp of Katra to the hilltop shrine, leaving over 30 pilgrims dead.
Earlier that morning, officials had already closed the newer Himkoti route because of bad weather.
Pilgrims allowed on old path despite clear weather warnings
The tragedy happened as flood alerts were issued with the Jhelum River overflowing and flooding parts of Anantnag and Srinagar.
Authorities are monitoring the situation and working to restore services.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioned why pilgrims were allowed on the old path despite clear weather warnings days before—calling for more accountability from the Shrine Board to keep people safe during extreme weather.