Landslide Kills 30 on Northern India Pilgrimage Route Amid Heavy Rains

Heavy rains in India's northern Jammu and Kashmir region have triggered a devastating landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine, killing at least 30 people and disrupting communications and transport. The landslide occurred near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari cave temple on the pilgrimage route, prompting rescue operations and cancellation of multiple trains due to flash floods and soil erosion. Authorities have closed educational institutions and government offices as rivers and streams remain above danger levels, and warnings have been issued for people to stay indoors at night. Communication networks are severely disrupted, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah describing the situation as nearly total loss of connectivity. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha have expressed condolences and directed immediate assistance, while the National Disaster Response Force has been dispatched to aid rescue efforts. Additionally, twin cloudbursts in Kishtwar district caused flash floods and destruction of homes and farmland, compounding the region's ongoing crisis.