Ganderbal, Jul 11: The high-altitude Baltal-Amarnath axis, a primary route for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, experienced fresh spells of light to moderate rainfall on Saturday.
The sudden change in weather turned mountain tracks slippery and dropped temperatures across the transit camps, prompting authorities to issue fresh safety advisories for thousands of trekking yatris.
At the Baltal base camp, steady showers began in the afternoon, enveloping the rugged mountain terrain including crucial transit points like Dumail, Brarimarg, and Sangam in cold winds.
Despite the rain creating slick conditions along the 14-km steep track, the spirit of the devotees remained high. Yatris carefully negotiated the trail clad in raincoats and ponchos.
The Meteorological Department released a specialised weather forecast warning of light to moderate rain and thunderstorms across both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes over the next 24 hours.
Mountain peaks could also see isolated intense showers, which frequently trigger minor mudslides or shooting stones in the vulnerable stretches.
"The safety of the yatris is our highest priority. While the movement of yatris has not been suspended entirely, we are regulating the flow at Baltal and Dumail depending on real-time track updates. Mountain rescue teams, state police, and central security forces have been deployed at critical bends to assist anyone facing difficulty," officials said.
The administration has urged all registered devotees to stay tuned to official public announcement systems and transit camp announcements before proceeding from the base stations.
