Flash floods halt Amarnath Yatra

The pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath via north Kashmir Baltel route was halted on Thursday evening after flash floods washed away a major portion of a bridge in Ganderbal district.

Flash floods washed away major portions of the Surafrao bridge, 60 km from Srinagar. The bridge was declared unsafe and closed for vehicular traffic by the local authorities.

"We have decided to postpone the restoration work till the rains stop in the area," a senior police officer said.

Unless the bridge is restored in time, the north Kashmir Baltal passage for pilgrims to the Amarnath cave shrine would have to be deferred beyond Saturday.

Meanwhile, reports reaching Srinagar also said that over 20 feet of the 14 km mountain trek from Baltel base camp to the cave shrine had also been washed away at Railpathri following incessant rains in the area.