SRINAGAR: Braving unforgiving weather, the Indian Army saved over 3,500 Amarnath Yatris who were stranded due to a massive landslide near Z Morh between Rayalpathri and Brarimarg on the evening of July 16, officials said today.

The landslide, triggered by continuous heavy rainfall around 7:15 PM, abruptly halted all movement along the Yatra route, leaving thousands of pilgrims trapped in the treacherous terrain. Reacting with urgency, the Army detachment stationed at Brarimarg launched a coordinated rescue and relief operation, preventing a potential disaster.

Around 500 pilgrims were immediately given shelter in Army tents and provided with tea and drinking water. An additional 3,000 yatris were accommodated at various langars between Brarimarg and Z Morh, where volunteers and Army personnel worked together to ensure basic needs were met.

In one particularly life-threatening situation, a sick pilgrim was found stranded between two landslide-prone zones at Rayalpathri. Despite darkness, rain, and unstable terrain, the Army's Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) conducted a difficult manual stretcher evacuation, carrying the patient to safety. The individual was then shifted to an ambulance for further medical care, read a statement, issued by the army.

Officials confirmed that the Camp Director at Brarimarg and the Company Commander of the Indian Army remained present on-site throughout the operation, personally overseeing rescue efforts. The weather at both Rayalpathri and Brarimarg remains lightly rainy, but the situation is currently stable and under control.