Vaishno Devi Board Denies Negligence in Wake of Deadly Landslide
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has refuted allegations that it disregarded weather advisories before a massive landslide on August 26 killed 34 pilgrims. The board called the claims "false and baseless," stating that the yatra had been suspended hours before the disaster, which was triggered by an "unforeseen" and "unpredictable" cloudburst. It maintained that the incident occurred in a location historically not prone to landslides and that all standard operating procedures for pilgrim safety were followed.
Unpacked:
Vaishno Devi is one of Hinduism’s holiest shrines, located in Jammu and Kashmir. Annually, millions of devotees undertake the challenging 12-kilometer trek to seek blessings, making it one of India’s most visited pilgrimage sites.
The Shrine Board monitors weather forecasts, issues advisories, and can suspend the pilgrimage during adverse conditions. Disaster management teams, including police and volunteers, are deployed to ensure swift evacuation and medical care in emergencies.
Some survivors questioned the adequacy of warnings, noting that while one route was suspended, another remained open without clear alerts. This has led to public debate about the effectiveness of communication and preparedness.
The landslide is part of a pattern of extreme monsoon-driven disasters in the Himalayan region, with record rainfall, floods, and infrastructure damage reported across Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Ladakh in August 2025.