Death toll rises to 10, over 40 missing in Batal cloud burst

SRINAGAR — At least 10 pilgrims have died while more than three dozen are missing after a cloudburst hit Baltal area, which houses a base camp for the Amarnath pilgrimage, in the Ganderbal district on Friday.

The cloud burst happened around 5:30 PM and it triggered flash floods. Five people have been rescued while around 40 people are missing.

More than two dozen tents and three langers have been reportedly washed away by the floods. “10 pilgrims have died and their bodies have been recovered,” a senior NDRF official was quoted as having said by news agency GNS.

Teams of Police, NDRF and SDRF besides security forces have been pressed into the service, officials said.

Earlier in a tweet, police said that “some langars and tents have come under cloud burst/flash floods at the holy cave.