Landslide in Jammu and Kashmir kills 30 and paralyzes the region

The Jammu and Kashmir region in northern India has witnessed a humanitarian disaster after a landslide caused by heavy rains resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people and injuries to others.

The landslide occurred last night near the Hindu site of Vaishno Devi in the Katra area, according to statements from Paramvir Singh, a senior police official, who confirmed that several bodies were found during ongoing search and rescue operations.

The heavy rains also disrupted rail and road traffic in the area, leading to the suspension of annual religious ceremonies at the site to ensure the safety of visitors.

This incident comes amid a wave of floods and landslides hitting northern India during the monsoon season, causing severe damage to infrastructure and hundreds of fatalities.

Official data showed that more than 1,200 people have lost their lives in incidents related to the monsoon rains since the beginning of June, with a significant concentration of incidents in the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, reflecting the scale of the challenge faced by authorities in dealing with recurring natural disasters.