Narrow escape for Raja Singh & family at Amarnath

Hyderabad: BJP MLA T Raja Singh had a miraculous escape from the flash flood triggered by a cloudburst near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir, which left 16 dead. Raja Singh and his family members who reached Amarnath by a chopper decided to use ponies to descend the hills before as the weather condition began deteriorating. "We sensed that weather suddenly changed and getting deteriorated.

In those circumstances chopper service would also be cancelled. So we decided to descend the hills using ponies. I could see cloudburst about one kilometer down the hills. Several tents swept away in the floods," Raja Singh told media on Friday night. As the MLA is under special security protection, the army helped the family reach Srinagar. He further said there are people from different States including Telangana stranded there. According to Raja Singh, there were thousands of devotees at the Amaranth cave for darshan on that day.

"Water was gushing through the hills and swept way some tents. My estimation is that at least 50 people were swept away in the flashflood.

Army was doing a great job at Amarnath cave. But, they were helpless in these kinds of circumstances and also it was dark, he added.

On Friday, an official on the ground said about 40 people were missing while five had been rescued. An official of the administration said the Amarnath Yatra, which began on June 30, has been suspended following the tragedy and a decision on its resumption will be taken after rescue operations get over.